The Middle Eastern Veg Platter

As I continue having friends over to enjoy the Holiday season, we decided to prepare a Middle Eastern themed vegetarian's platter. Consisting of Eggplant Mozzarella Rings, Hummus, Pita Bread and stir fried vegetables, this whole preparation took us around one and a half hour in the kitchen.
A recipe wise break up of this platter below.

The Middle Eastern Veg Platter

Eggplant and Mozzarella Rings

Eggplant is a common vegetable used in Middle Eastern cooking and is used in various courses from salads, appetizers to the main dish.My recipe is a vegetarian option for steak lovers with Middle Eastern flavors.

Ingredients

• A large eggplant
• Mozzarella Cheese Slices
• 1/2 Cup Maida, All Purpose Flour
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 1 tsp red chilly powder
• 1 tsp Tahini Paste (Paste made with Sesame Seeds, easily available in the market)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil for frying

Eggplant and Mozzarella Rings

Method

• Cut the eggplant into slices, sprinkle salt and pepper and keep aside to rest
• When the eggplant starts leaving the water, pat it with a paper towel and keep aside. This removes the bitter taste of the Eggplant
• Sprinkle garlic powder generously over the eggplant slices and keep aside
• In another bowl, mix the maida, rice flour, salt and pepper, red chilli powder, tahini paste and curd and mix well until it reaches a thick consistency
• Coat the eggplants into this batter and make a sandwich with two slices along with a slice of Mozzarella in the center
• Heat 2 tbsps of Oil in a pan and when hot, shallow fry the eggplant on a low flame until perfectly cooked. Turn upside down to make sure both sides are well done
• Use proper oil as eggplant absorbs the oil very fast. Use a grill pan if possible to get the Steak like look

For the Hummus

Ingredients

• 1 cup Boiled Chickpeas (Canned or Soak at home for 12 hrs and pressure cook for 2 whistles/microwave for 25 mins)
• 2 pods of Garlic
• Sea Salt, to taste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp Curd
• 1 tbsp Tahini Paste (Paste made with Sesame Seeds, easily available in the market)
• 1 green chilly, finely chopped
• Olive Oil
• Red Chilli Powder for Garnish

Method

• Take all the ingredients and blend into a fine paste. Sprinkle some red chilli powder and Olive Oil for garnish.

The Middle Eastern Veg Platter

For the Stir Fry Veggies

Ingredients

• 1 cup Spinach, blanched and chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
• 1 tsp Garlic Paste
• 1/2 cup Feta Cheese, cut into cubes
  
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Oil

Method

• Heat oil in a saucepan and add garlic and fry till golden brown.
• Add the finely chopped onions and tomatoes and cook well.
• Add the blanched spinach and cook well till all the water is absorbed
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle Sesame Seeds and serve hot.

Once all the components are ready for the platter, serve hot along with Store-Bought Pita, preferably in a square/rectangle shaped platter.

I love to use this as a filling for my Shawarma as well, where I simply cut the eggplant into strips, and stuff in the pita along with hummus and veggies

Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna

With all the festivities around, I plan to celebrate by preparing a different cuisine each weekend for my family and friends. Last weekend, I chose to go with the Christmas theme and decided to come up with recipes green, red and white in color. I whipped a quick Italian meal with the Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna and Watermelon and Feta Bites. 

Lasagna is an Italian classic, mainly layers of pasta sheets filled with meat and cheese. There are various vegetarian versions too, mainly with brinjal/ eggplant as its core ingredient. I tried to use Spinach instead, and what better than Ricotta to go with Spinach. I added a layer of Tomato and Basil sauce, to add a tangy and herby flavor to my lasagna.

Spinach and Ricotta Lasagana

Ingredients

• 6, Ready to Bake Lasagna sheets
• 1 cup Ricotta Cheese
• 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, grated

For the Spinach Filling

• 1 cup Spinach, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Oregano, finely crushed
• 1 tsp Nutmeg Powder
• 1 tsp Butter

For the Tomato Filling

• 1 cup Tomato Puree
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Oregano, finely crushed
• 5-6 Fresh Basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Oil

Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna

Method

There are two main steps for the Lasagna, first, is preparing the sauces and then layering the whole lasagna

• Take two saucepans, to prepare the sauces simultaneously. Take oil in one and butter in another.
• When melted and heated, add garlic and fry till golden brown. 
• In the pan with butter, add the spinach and cook well till the spinach loses water and it dry. Add salt, pepper, and oregano and keep aside for it to cool down. 
• Once cool, add the Ricotta Cheese and mix well.
• On the other hand, in the pan with oil. add the tomato puree when the garlic is fried. 
• Let the tomato puree cook and then add the basil leaves, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. 
• Do not add water and let the sauce thicken.
• Once the sauces are ready, pre-heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. 
• Take a baking dish and grease it with butter. 
• Take lasagna sheets and place them in the baking dish. Add a layer of the Spinach filling and then the Tomato Sauce. 
• Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese over this. 
• Repeat this process for at least up to three layers and add the remaining mozzarella cheese on the last layer. 

You can also add the remaining Tomato Basil Sauce across the Lasagna, if extra

Bake the Lasagna for 45 minutes and serve it with garlic bread.

Chocolate Cake

To celebrate the festivities, I decided to try baking a cake for the first time in my life, and what better day than Christmas Eve for that!
My husband and I usually don't have a sweet tooth and enjoy sweets as much as savory, but I wanted to try my hand at baking for a long time now. 
With a quick drive to the supermarket and IKEA, I was all ready to bake a Rich Chocolate Cake. Coincidentally, we also had a friend visiting us who was just back after his wedding from India, and hence this called for double celebration.
Try this cake that takes an hour to be ready, this Christmas.

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups of All Purpose Flour 
• 1 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1 tbsp Coffee Powder
• 1 tbsp Milk
• Warm Water as required
• 5-6 tbsp of Sugar
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 1cup Chocolate Frosting (Can be store-bought or melt a bar of chocolate at home until liquid consistency)
• 3 tbsp Icing Sugar
• Berries and Mint Leaf for garnish.

Method

Rich Chocolate Cake

• For the base, mix the all-purpose flour, sugar, 1 tbsp of butter, cocoa, coffee, milk, and mix well. 
• Add warm water as required until the batter has a semi-liquid consistency.
• Pour it into the baking tray and bake for 30 mins at 180c/350F.
• Meanwhile, whisk icing sugar and butter together until solidified to a spreadable consistency. Freeze in the refrigerator.
• Once the cake is baked and cool, cut three equal rounds from the base. 
• Take the lower base and spread the chocolate frosting over it. Add the other bases and continue the same. On the last base, add the remaining frosting and spread evenly.
• Pipe the icing sugar frost over the cake and garnish with berries and mint leaves.

Relish this chocolate cake on your Christmas evening!

Cheesy Eggplant and Zucchini Bake

One fine evening, my husband suddenly decided to try a Continental dish for dinner. I was a little surprised as we normally have the regular Roti Subzi or a more wholesome healthy meal on weekdays and wait for the weekend for indulging and trying new recipes.
I came up this recipe with regular ingredients available in my refrigerator and prepared this cheesy dish within thirty minutes.

The Eggplant and Zucchini bake is inspired from Ratatouille, a French Provencal dish, full of vegetables, cheese, and a sauce. My dish consists mainly of Eggplant, Zucchini and Butternut Squash, layered with tomato and bell pepper sauce and lots of Basil. This recipe makes for a great idea for a cozy romantic dinner or a casual evening with few friends.

Ingredients

• 1 Eggplant (Long Black one), cut into thin slices
• 1 Large Zucchini cut into thin slices
• 1/2 Butternut Squash, cut into thin slices
• 1 cup Tomato Puree
• 1 cup  Red and Orange Bell Pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 3 pods of Garlic, finely chopped
• 10-12 leaves of Basil
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Oil

Method

• In a baking dish, take the eggplant, zucchini, and squash slices and marinate with garlic powder, salt and pepper and oil and bake for 10-12 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 180C/350F.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan, add the garlic, crushed Basil leaves, chopped bell peppers, onion and fry well.
• Add the tomato puree and cook well till the tomatoes leave the oil.
• Add salt and pepper and mix well. 
• Cook till the sauce thickens and keep aside.
• Take another baking dish and spread the tomato sauce at the bottom.
• Place the eggplant slices, on that the squash slices and lastly the Zucchini slices.
• Spread some Basil leaves over the vegetables.
• Cover the layer with the mix of mozzarella and cheddar cheese and bake again for 25 minutes at 180C/350F.
• Serve with Garlic bread. 

Watermelon and Feta Bites

With all the festive shopping and party-planning around, I enjoy a snowy evening in the cozy corner of my home, sipping hot coffee while I post this recipe. 

I wanted to make a green and red preparation, to match the theme for Christmas. With social media abuzz with desserts, main courses and other ideas for the party, I thought of coming up with a 'Welcome Bites' starter which can be offered as soon as the guests arrive.

Watermelon and Feta Bites

A preparation that takes hardly ten minutes of your time, you can get these Watermelon and Feta Bites ready right before the guests arrive.

Simple ingredients and the freshness in the taste makes this recipe a huge hit in any social gatherings

Ingredients

• 1/2 Seedless Watermelon,  chopped into small cubes
• 1 packet of Fresh Feta Cheese, chopped into cubes
• 10-12 leaves of Baby Spinach 
• 10-12 Black Olives, cut into slices
• Chaat Masala, as per taste
• Toothpicks, for serving

Method

• Take a baby spinach leaf, place a watermelon cube, feta cheese cube and a sliced black olive and skew it with a toothpick. 
• Repeat this step for the number of bites you want to prepare.
• Sprinkle Chaat Masala once all the bites are prepared.

Your Watermelon and Feta Bites are ready to serve.

Khichdi Shak

Yellow Khichdi and Tameta Batata Vatana nu Shak (Lentil and Rice Mix with A gravy of Tomatoes, Potatoes, and Green Peas)

We have seen many recipes available for Masala Khichdi available on the digital platform, but I have never come across a recipe of the plain yellow Khichdi, a dish prepared regularly in Indian households. Khichdi is the comfort food of every Indian.

Different parts of India have their own variation and side dishes they serve the Khichdi with. In my Gujarati household, we normally serve it with a vegetable gravy. It is a simple mix of potatoes and green peas in Tomato Gravy.

The quickest meal to prepare and also one of the healthier options, this recipe is a weekly preparation in my kitchen. Far away across seven continents, this dish reminds me of my grandmother and I enjoy this as I feel nostalgic.

Khichdi with Shak

Ingredients

For the Khichdi

• 1 cup yellow Toor Dal / yellow moong dal
• 1/2 small grain rice
• 1 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)
• 2 tbsp of Ghee
• 2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• Salt to taste

For the Gravy

• 1 large potato, diced into cubes
• 1/2 green peas, frozen or fresh, as preferred
• 1 1/2 tomato
• 1 cup of water
• 2 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 4-5 Curry leaves
• 2 green chilies, split
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 2 tsp Red Chilly Powder
• 2 tsp Dhania-jeera Powder (Coriander and Cumin Powder)
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves for garnish

Serve with papad, curd and pickle

Method

For the Khichdi

• Soak the dal and rice in cold water for 15-20 minutes. Once soft, pressure cook it for three whistles. Make sure you add adequate water as you want the Khichdi to be soft.
• Once the steam is released and the pressure cooker cools down, open the lid and add turmeric powder, 1 tbsp of ghee, Hing (asafoetida) and salt and mix well.  Add water if needed and let the Khichdi boil till the flavors are absorbed well.
• Add the remaining while serving the Khichdi.

For the Gravy

• Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, an
  d green chilies. 
• Add the potatoes after the tempering is fried. Add salt and cover with a lid. 
• Once the potatoes are cooked, add the green peas and tomatoes and mix well.
• Add all the powdered spices and cook well till the tomatoes start leaving the oil.
• Add water and bring to a boil till you have a nice gravy like consistency.

Serve the Khichdi with the gravy, cool curd, roasted papad and lime pickle. I love to enjoy this in a traditional compartment plate, as shown in the picture. Enjoy it hot.

Avocado and Almond Salad

With a conscious effort to include salads in my daily diet, I have been trying different variations regularly.

My new salad is a quick nutty salad for a nutritious early morning boost. With creamy textures, this salad makes for a perfect healthy start to your day. With ingredients that are easily available in your home pantry, mix up a bowl of this salad in less than 10 minutes. Can be enjoyed by children too as it has mild flavors. This recipe also gives us a chance to use Almond Oil in cooking, which is rarely heard of. 

Avocado and Almond Salad

Avocado and Almond Salad

Ingredients

• 6-8 Whole Almonds
• 1 Avacado, fully ripe
• 1 cup of Salad Greens or Lettuce
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 3-4 Baby Tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Almond Oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Chop almonds into halves and add to the mix the salad greens, avocado, baby tomatoes and black olives.
• In a separate bowl. take the almond oil, salt and pepper, lemon juice and honey and mix well.
• While serving, mix the dressing and vegetables and serve cool.

Tip: Do not add the dressing in advance as the veggies and almonds loose crunchiness

Minty Mushroom and Soya Nuggets Biryani

Biryani is a popular rice dish prepared in India, mainly a part of the Mughlai cuisine. As a vegetarian, there are only a few options we can use are vegetables like carrot, cauliflower, paneer and more. I decided to use mushrooms and Soya Nuggets for my recipe.
This recipe was taught to me by my mother-in-law, however without onion and garlic. I tried my version with onion and garlic and it tasted delicious. However, I have put the method for both the versions (with and without onion garlic)
The texture of Soya Nuggets used in this recipe gave the chewing into meat like feeling and hence can be enjoyed by non-vegetarians too. Additionally, it is also rich in calcium and iron.

Minty Mushroom and Soya Biryani with Bhoondi Raita

Ingredients

• 2 cups Basmati Rice, parboiled with spices infused water (Spices include Cinnamon, One Mint branch, 2-3 Cloves and Cardamoms, 1 Bay leaf)
• 1 cup of chopped french beans and carrots
• 1 cup of mushrooms, medium sized chopped
• 1 cup of Soya Nuggets, microwaved for 5 minutes
• 1/2 cup onion / Cabbage for Non-Onion-Garlic Recipe, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Curd
• 2 tbsps Biryani Masala (Use Masala without Onion Garlic if preferred)
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 2 tsp Red Chilly Powder
• 1 bunch of Mint Leaves, Finely Chopped
• 1 cup Fried Onions / Cabbage for Non-Onion-Garlic Recipe
• 1 tbsp Saffron Soaked in Milk
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• 1 chopped Green Chilly
• 1 tbsp Shahi Jeera
• 1 tbsp Ginger - Garlic Paste / No garlic for Non-Onion-Garlic Recipe

Layering the Biryani

Method

• Soak Basmati Rice in cold water for 15 mins and keep it for boiling till it is 80% cooked. Make sure you add Salt and all the Spices as mentioned in the ingredients above in the water.
• Once boiled, drain the water and spices and spread the rice on a large plate. Mix some ghee while the rice is hot. This will separate all the grains of the rice nicely.
• Meanwhile heat 1 tsp of ghee in a wok and stir fry all the chopped vegetables, mushrooms and soya nuggets in it, until semi cooked.
• In another pan, take the remaining ghee and add Jeera, green chilies, and ginger garlic paste / ginger paste for non-onion-garlic. Fry till golden brown and add the onions / cabbage for non- ginger-garlic and mix well. Add salt to this mixture and caramelize the onions. 
• Next, add the stir fry veggies and mix well. Add the chopped tomatoes, all the powdered masalas and mix well. 
• Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the curd and boil the gravy until thick.
• Your biryani is ready to be layered now. 
• Take a deep pot/pan and add one thin layer of Basmati Rice. Next, add the gravy, Sprinkle some chopped mint leaves and add a little saffron milk over it. Repeat this process for at least three layers. 
• After you are done with the last layer, add fried onions / cabbage for non-ginger-garlic and mint leaves, and cover the pot. Cook on a slow flame for 10-15 minutes. 
• Serve with a cool Bhoondi Raita.

Veg Spring Rolls

Busy settling into my new job, this post is long due to end my Thai menu idea, Veg Spring Rolls is very similar to its Chinese cousin, the Hakka style vegetable spring roll.

A quick preparation, this recipe consists of few ingredients and basic seasoning. I prefer to use the readily available spring roll sheets, however, you can prepare it at home, as preferred. 

This appetizer can be enjoyed as a solo dish along with some spicy schezwan sauce or as one course of a grand dinner you are planning.

Ingredients

• 4 spring roll sheets
• 1/2 cup cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 cup all colored bell peppers, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste (Can be avoided if you don't eat garlic)
• 1 tsp green chilly paste
• 1 tsp Siracha house (easily available)
• 1 tsp Soya Sauce
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Oil for frying

Method

• Heat a tsp of oil and add the green chilies and ginger garlic paste and fry.
• Add the chopped vegetables and stir well.
• Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. This helps the vegetables cook faster. 
• Par cook the vegetables as they will also cook while frying the spring rolls. Over-cooking them makes them soggy and can cause the spring roll to break while frying.
• Add the soya sauce and siracha sauce in the mixture and mix well.
• Keep aside the mixture and let it cool down.
• When about to serve, take a spring roll sheet, lay it on the counter to look like a diamond and add the mixture in the centre.Fold the opposite corners and seal the roll. Add water on the edges to make the corners stick.
• Fry in hot oil till golden brown and serve with your favorite sauce.

This brings an end to the Thai menu ideas. Write to me if you would like any more meal series and I shall be happy to co-blog with you.

Vegetable Thai Curry

Thai Curry is vegetables boiled in coconut milk and a fresh paste made up of lemongrass, basil and lime leaves. There are two versions commonly prepared of the Thai Curry, Green and Red. Generally served with Jasmine Rice, it is a regular recipe prepared at homes and outside across Asia.

The basic preparation starts with the paste. Even though the paste is easily available in the market, I would suggest to prepare it fresh at home. The freshness of the herbs and lemon grass gives a pleasant aroma to the curry apart from elevating the flavours of course.

Our contributor Preethi Prem, shares her recipe Vegetable Green Thai Curry for the blog. Enjoy the read.

Ingredients

For the Paste

• 5-6 stems of Lemon grass
• 1/2 cup Coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Basil leaves, finely chopped
• 2-3 green chillies, split
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Oil
• 1/2 cup Freshly grated coconut

For the Curry

All vegetables are taken as a 1/2 cup quantity to serve 2

• Bell Peppers (green, red and yellow)
• Mushrooms
• Carrots
• French Beans
• Cauliflower
• Potatoes
• 1 can of coconut milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Water as needed 

Method

• Boil all the vegetables until they are semi cooked in a pan. Add lemon grass in the water so the vegetables absorb the aromas.
• Meanwhile, take all the ingredients of the paste as mentioned above in a mortar and hand grind it until smooth. You can also use the food processor to save time. The hand grinding will give it a more rustic flavour. 
• Take oil in a saucepan, add the paste and cook well. Add the boiled vegetables and coat them well in the paste.
• Add coconut milk and water as needed to get a thick consistency and boil till the vegetables are soft.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

Your curry is ready. Serve with Jasmine Rice or Basmati Rice, as available. 

Serve as a complete Thai meal with our Thai Cabbage Salad and Stir Fry Paneer in Peanut Sauce 

Stir Fry Paneer in Peanut Sauce

The second recipe in the Thai series on the blog is Stir Fry Paneer in Peanut Sauce.

It hardly takes 10-15 mins to prepare this appetiser and it goes well with a soup / salad (Thai Cabbage Salad)

Paneer / Cottage Cheese is a commonly used protein in vegetarian cooking. In Thai cooking, Tofu is generally used and less of Paneer, so you can substitute the ingredients as per your wish. The texture of this appetiser is crunchy and has a sweet and spicy taste. Serve it as little bites with Lettuce greens or as a Yoghurt Dip. This recipe can be made oil-free as Peanuts loose their own oil when cooked.

Stir Fry Paneer in Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

• 200 gms Paneer, cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper
• 2 tbsp Roasted Peanut Powder
• 1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
• 1 tbsp Chilly Sauce
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• 1 tsp Oil (Optional)
• 1 tbsp Yoghurt / Curd

Method

• Heat oil in a pan and add the yellow bell peppers, diced into medium sized pieces.
• Once they cook a little, add the paneer cubes and fry till the paneer gets a golden brown covering.
• Add salt and pepper and toss again
• Make an empty space in the centre of the pan, and add tomato ketchup and chilly sauce and mix well. Once the sauce starts boiling, add peanut powder and mix well. 
• Remove some of the sauce mix and keep aside. 
• Mix the paneer and bell peppers into the sauce and toss well until the paneer is coated well. 
• While serving, add yoghurt/curd to the peanut sauce that you kept aside and mix well.
• Your dish is ready.

Coming Up

• Veg Thai Curry 
• Veg Thai Spring Rolls

Thai Cabbage Salad

As a part of my birthday celebrations, a friend and contributor to this series, Preethi Prem decided to host me and we cooked up a quick Thai themed dinner which comprised of Veg Thai Curry and Rice, Spring Rolls, Stir Fry Paneer in Peanut Sauce and Cabbage and Peanut Salad. 

Thai food is light for the stomach and comprises of a mixed palette of flavors mainly sweet, sour, spicy, sour and salty. Coconut, lemongrass, tamarind, and peanuts are authentic ingredients used in Thai cooking. As Indians, we are used to having these components in South Indian food, making them easily available in our home pantry.

Read along,where I shall post a menu idea you can prepare for your next party, starting with the salad in this post. This menu can also be prepared without onion and garlic.

Cabbage is rich in vitamins and has cancer-preventing benefits. Adding it to also helps control cholesterol levels. The Cabbage and Peanut Salad is a quick and crunchy option which balances the creamy flavors of the curry. You can include this as a salad option in your daily diet too.

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely chopped cabbage, julienne
• A handful of peanuts
• 1/2 colored bell peppers
• 1 tsp Honey
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Red Chilly Flakes to taste (Adjust for your spice levels)

Thai Cabbage Salad

Method

• Mix the cabbage and bell peppers in a bowl.
• Add honey, pepper, and red chilli flakes and mix well.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• While serving, add salt and whole peanuts. Adding salt, in the end, will prevent the veggies from losing water and the peanuts will also remain crispy.
• Serve cool.

Coming Up

  Veg Thai Curry
  Stir Fry Paneer in Peanut Sauce
  Spring Rolls

Stir Fry Aloo Gobi

Aloo Gobi (Cauliflower and Potato) is a very popular North Indian vegetable, prepared at homes and in restaurants and accompanied with Roti and Dal Tadka. There are different versions of this vegetable prepared in households across India. Some prefer it with onion, garlic and tomato while some prefer it with a Tadka (tempering) of Mustard Seeds and Curry leaves.

My husband, who is also the contributor for this post prepares this vegetable with a slight variation where he uses a tempering of cumin seeds and green chillies. 

Hope you enjoy the recipe

Ingredients 

• 1 cup cauliflower florets, chopped in medium size 
• 1/2 potatoes, chopped in medium size 
• 1 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
• 2-3 Green Chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 2 tsp Red Chilly Powder
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder)
• 2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• Salt to taste

Method

• Heat oil in a wok, add the cumin seeds and green chillies and let it fry.
• Add the potatoes and cauliflower and stir well.
• Add salt and all the other masalas and stir well.
• Cover the wok and cook on a low flame.
• Every five minutes, uncover the wok and stir the vegetable. Make sure you do not let any water of the steam fall into the vegetable. Repeat this for 3-4 times, until the vegetable is cooked. 
• Once you feel the vegetables are very crisp, remove from it from the gas.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Leave a comment if you have tried this recipe and enjoyed it.

This recipe serves 2 people. Double the quantity of each ingredient to suit your number of guests.