Garlic and Black Pepper Roasted Cauliflower

Some foods are special to us because of the memories we associate with them. Every time we make or eat these, they remind us of a particular time or incident from the past. This pan roasted cauliflower recipe has a special place in my heart because it takes me back to my elementary school days when mom used to pack me lunch. It was always a pleasant surprise to open my lunchbox and find the roasted cauliflower simply seasoned with salt and pepper. Over the years as I started cooking for myself, this recipe has evolved perhaps because my taste has evolved. Roasting brings out the sweetness of cauliflower, so in addition to the salt and pepper seasoning, I like adding garlic to balance out that subtle sweetness, and fresh cilantro and lemon juice to really make the flavor pop!

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

Salt

Black pepper

1 tsp oil

Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Lemon juice (optional)

Chop the cauliflower into small florets. Heat oil over medium high heat. I like using a nonstick pot for this since it doesn’t need too much oil. If using a steel pot, add a little more oil. Once oil is heated, add the garlic and cauliflower, and mix well. Sprinkle a pinch of salt, cover and cook until the cauliflower is a little tender. Keep stirring occasionally to get an even cook and to ensure the cauliflower at the bottom doesn’t burn. Add ground black pepper and more salt if required, continue to cook until cauliflower is tender to your liking. I like it a little crunchy when eating as a side, but I cook it until it is fairly soft and browned if I plan to serve it with roti. Once cooked, take it off the heat, mix in chopped cilantro, squeeze some lemon juice on top and serve hot.

~Gayatri

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Posted by The Cooks of Cake and Kindness on Thursday, December 10, 2015

Egg curry in a hurry!

For several years in India, egg curry was what I ate on Sundays. My family typically eats meat on Sunday, goat curry most often - so after I gave up meat, my Sunday staple became egg curry. I love making the traditional egg curry starting with the onion & tomato masala made with cilantro and spices - grinding it, carefully making slits in the hard boiled eggs and stuffing in the masala before making a gravy. As you can see, that’s a little bit involved. Some days I just want to fix dinner quickly after work, hence the curry in a hurry! This one also uses onions and tomatoes, but doesn’t have a liquid gravy as the base. However it isn’t completely dry either - just perfect to eat with either rice or roti.

 

I generally start boiling the eggs and then chop ingredients and make the curry while the eggs are cooking. The whole thing is ready in no time!

Ingredients (~4-5 servings)

8 eggs - hard boiled

1 large onion - chopped (~ 2 cups)

2-3 small tomatoes - chopped (~1.5 cups)

3 cloves of garlic (or garlic powder)

1 tsp grated ginger (or ginger powder)

2 tsp coriander powder (optional, but really helps the flavor!)

¼ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp red chili powder (or to taste)

Salt

1 tsp oil

Chopped herbs for garnishing (optional) - cilantro, parsley, green onions

Optional tempering (Definitely helps the taste, but isn’t crucial if you don’t have the ingredients)

⅛ tsp mustard seeds

⅛ tsp cumin seeds

⅛ tsp asafoetida powder (See note)

Heat oil over medium high heat. If using tempering ingredients, add the mustard seeds; once the seeds start spluttering, add the cumin seeds and asafoetida powder. Immediately add the chopped onions and saute for 4-5 minutes until translucent (if you are skipping the tempering, just add onions once the oil is hot).

Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for a minute. Add the spices and season with salt. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until some of the liquid evaporates.

While the onions and tomatoes are cooking, peel and coarsely chop the eggs. Add the eggs to the onion, tomato mixture. Mix well, adjust seasoning if required, and take off the heat once heated through (~30-60 seconds). Do not cook for too long after eggs are added to prevent them from getting chewy.

Garnish with chopped herbs and serve warm.

~Gayatri

Note: Asafoetida, or hing, is an herb used extensively in Indian cooking to enhance flavor and aid digestion. It can be found in any Indian store.


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Posted by The Cooks of Cake and Kindness on Monday, August 24, 2015

ChavLi chi usaL (Curried black eyed beans)

 

One of my favorite Maharashtrian staples is usaL, a curry made with sprouted beans. This curry is generally made using “goDa/kaLa masala”, which is a spice blend used in most Maharashtrian foods and varies slightly from one household to another. I usually make this usaL with the masala that my mom makes, but here’s a modified version using commonly available spices.

 

Ingredients:

ChavLi (black eyed beans): 1 cup (before soaking) OR 1 can (~15 oz)

1 big onion – finely chopped

3 medium size tomatoes – finely chopped

10-12 sprigs of cilantro - chopped

2 cloves of garlic – chopped

1/2 inch piece of ginger – grated

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 tablespoon oil

1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

5-6 curry leaves

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/8 teaspoon garam masala (Can use ground allspice instead of garam masala)

1/4 teaspoon grated jaggery or sugar (adjust quantity depending on how sweet you would like it to be)

1/4 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)

Salt to taste

 

1. Soak the black eyed beans overnight. Drain and keep aside.

 

2. Heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and once they start popping, add cumin seeds, ginger, garlic and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.

 

3. Add asafoetida and chopped onion. Sauté till the onion turns golden brown. Add tomatoes and half of the chopped cilantro. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and chili powder. Mix well and fry till the mixture starts leaving oil.

 

4. Add the beans, garam masala and sugar. Fry for a couple minutes and add water. Let it come to a boil, then cover and cook till the beans are soft.

 

5. Garnish with cilantro and serve with chapati/roti or rice.

 

To save time and energy, the soaked beans can be cooked in a pressure cooker (with 2 cups of water and some salt) before making the curry. A much easier option would be to use canned beans :-). But the usaL tastes the best when beans are cooked in the pot with the spices!!

 

~Gayatri