CAULIFLOWER PORITHA KUZHAMBU

Preparation time      : 25 min

Cooking time            : 30 min

Serves                        : 4-6

INGREDIENTS

·         ½ cup red dhal

·         2 cups cauliflower (1 medium-size),

·         chopped into flowerets

·         2 tomatoes, quartered

·         1 ½ teaspoons sambar powder

·         ½ coconut, grated

·         2 teaspoons rice flour

·         ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

·         salt to taste

Paste

·         1 teaspoon oil

·         1 teaspoon coriander seeds

·         ½ teaspoon pepper corns

·         1 teaspoon black gram dhal

·          ½ teaspoon asafoetida powder

For tempering

·         2 teaspoon ghee

·         1 teaspoon mustard seeds

·         1 teaspoon black gram dhal

·         1 red chilli, halved

·         a few curry leaves

METHODS OF PREPARATION

·         Pressure cook the red gram dhal and set aside

·         Fry in the 1-teaspoon oil all the ingredients for the paste. Add 2 tablespoons of the grated coconut and grind to a paste, adding very little water.

·         From the remaining grated coconut, extract the milk. Set aside.

·         Dissolve the 2 teaspoons rice flour in ½ cup water. Set aside.

·         Cook the chopped cauliflower in sufficient water, adding the tomatoes, sambar powder, turmeric powder and salt. Simmer till the vegetables are tender.

·         Add the ground paste, the dissolved rice flour and the cooked dhal. Simmer till everything blends well.

·         Heat 2 teaspoons ghee and add all the ingredients for tempering. When the mustard seeds splutter, add to the kuzhambu.

·         Just before serving add the coconut milk.

·         Serve hot with rice.

For a traditional flavour, make this kuzhambu with ridge gourd or snake gourd.

For a more bland, light kuzhambu use green gram dhal instead of red gram dhal.