Cauliflower Mulugu Peratu/South Indian Cauliflower Stir-Fry

I made this recipe last weekend and enjoyed it so much I made it again this week! This is a very simple cauliflower recipe but is really tasty and therefore is blog worthy. Try it and let me know how you liked it. The recipe is inspired by the Veh reh Vah chef video although the ingredient proportions I used are quite different.

Ingredients:
1 medium head cauliflower cut into small florets
2-3 dried red chilies
2 tsp channa dal
2 tsp urad dal
4 sprigs curry leaves
6 thai green chillies, minced
2-3 dashes hing
1 medium onion, chopped
cilantro leaves (for garnishing)

Grind together to a coarse paste using mortar and pestle:
4 cloves garlic
10-12 whole black peppercorns
1.5 tsp cumin seeds

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and splutter. Next add dried red chillies and saute for a minute. Add channa daal and saute until daal starts picking up some color. Next add urad daal. and saute until light golden. Now add ground up masala and hing and saute for a minute. Don't overcook mixture. Now add chopped onion, curry leaves and chopped green chillies. Saute until onion becomes translucent. Finally, add cauliflower, salt to taste and toss with the mixture. Cover and steam on low for a few minutes until cauliflower is 1/2 cooked. Remove lid, raise the heat to high and keep cooking until the steam water has evaporated and the cauliflower is fullt cooked. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rotis.

Paneer sabzi handi/Indian Cottage Cheese curry with MIxed Vegetables

I tried this the other day and really enjoyed it.

Ingredients:
2 cups paneer (indian cottage cheese) cut into cubes
1 cup carrots, cut into med-large chunks
1 bell pepper, cut in the same size as the carrots
1 cup green peas
1/2 cup onions, cubed into the same size as the other veggies
1/2 cup water chestnuts, drained
1-2 potatoes, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic-ginger
1-1.5 tsp red chili pdr
1/2 cup tomato puree
1.5 tsp coarsely crushed cumin pdr
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp sugar
salt
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tbsp julienned ginger
2 chopped thai green chillies (can use any other med spicy variety)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1/4 cup cream (optional)
2 tbsp chopped cilantro (for garnish)

Method:
Heat oil and fry all the vegetables except the chestnuts together.
Cover and leave until half cooked. Using a slotted spoon, remove the veggies and set aside.

Saute chopped onions in the same oil until translucent. Now add garlic-ginger paste (or fresh chopped). Add red chili pdr and a little water if the mixture looks dry and continue to saute.
Add 1/2 cup tomato puree and continue to saute until the oil starts oozing out from around the tomato. Add the vegetables and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Next add coarsely crushed cumin and 1 tsp garam masala.

Add salt and sugar.. Add 1/2 cup yogurt and the julienned ginger along with the chopped green chillies and . the crushed black pepper. Keep cooking and sauteing.

Add a little water if the mixture looks too dry and kasuri methi Add 1/4 cup cream if using along with the paneer (indian cottage cheese). Cook for another 5 minutes so the paneer absorbs the tasty sauce. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rotis or rice.