Cauliflower stir-fry with turmeric

Cauliflower stir-fry with turmeric

Cauliflower belongs to the same family as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, and kale, though they are of different cultivar groups. Cauliflower is a North European annual. In North America and Europe it is available in summer and fall. A tropical cauliflower found in China and India. Cauliflower is found in white, yellow and purple colors.

Cauliflower is low in fat, low in carbohydrates but high in dietary fiber, folate, water, and vitamin C, possessing a high nutritional density.

Cauliflower contains several phytochemicals and carotenoids. It is good to know that boiling makes it to lose 20–30% of these compounds after five minutes, 40–50% after ten minutes, and 75% after thirty minutes. However, other preparation methods, such as steaming, microwaving, and stir frying, have no significant effect on the compounds.

 Cauliflower can be roasted, boiled, fried, steamed, or eaten raw. Low carbohydrate dieters can use cauliflower as a reasonable substitute for potatoes or rice. They will produce a similar texture, or mouth feel. Like chickpeas, it can be turned into flour from which such foods as pizza or biscuits can be made.

An average person should consume 1-1/2 cups of cruciferous at least 1 to 3 times a week. When cooking, add one teaspoon of turmeric.

Turmeric enhances the taste of cauliflower.

Today I am going to make a stir-fry of cauliflower. This is one of the recommended forms of cooking this vegetable.

Cauliflower florets

                                     
       

                                        Recipe summary 
                                                   For
                           Cauliflower stir-fry with turmeric

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6

1. In a medium sized frying pan or saucepan heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil. I used a non-stick wok. When the oil is hot reduce the heat and add 160 grams thinly sliced onion (2) and fry for 7 minutes or till the onion becomes lightly golden brown in color.

Cauliflower stir-fry 
with turmeric

2. Add 1 dry chili broken into small pieces. I add onion first instead of  dry chili  because when you add dry chili it will  not irritate your throat.

3. Add 70 grams green chili (1) sliced into small pieces, 10 curry leaves,  4 cloves of thinly sliced garlic and 10 grams shredded ginger, and fry for 2 minutes.

4. Add ½ tsp  fenugreek seeds and fry for 1 minute.

5. Add  ½ tsp mustard seeds and ½ tsp of  fennel seeds and let them splutter and add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds fry for 20 seconds and  add 500 grams cauliflower broken into small florets and continue frying.

6. Add 1 tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp pepper powder and 1 tsp garam masala ( optional) and continue frying.

Main ingredients

7. Add a cup of water and cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

8. Add ½ tsp salt and stir. Squeeze juice ½ lime before serving.



9.Cauliflower stir fry is ready. It can be served as a side dish or consumed on its own.

Cauliflower stir-fry with turmeric is ready.

                                  

                      Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients
Main

500 grams cauliflower broken into small florets
Others

160 grams onion (2) cut into small pieces

4 cloves of garlic sliced thin

10 grams ginger shredded

70 grams green chili (1) cut into small pieces

10 curry leaves
½ teaspoon of salt
½ lime (juice)
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
Spices

1 dry red chili broken into small pieces

1 teaspoon of turmeric

½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
½ teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of pepper

½ teaspoon of  cumin seeds

½ teaspoon of  fennel seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala powder (optional)

Main Ingredients for Cauliflower stir-fry with turmeric

Method

In a medium sized frying pan or saucepan heat the oil. I used a non-stick wok. When the oil is hot reduce the heat and add the onion and fry for 7 minutes or till the onion becomes lightly golden brown in color.
Add dry chili pieces. I add onion first instead of  dry chili  because when you add dry chili it will  not irritate your throat.

Frying onion and dry chili

Add green chili, garlic, curry leaves and ginger and fry for 2 minutes.

Adding  green chili, garlic and ginger

Add the fenugreek seeds and fry for 1 minute.

Adding fenugreek seeds

Add  mustard and let it splutter and add cumin fry for 20 seconds and  add cauliflower florets and continue frying.

Adding mustard seeds,cumin and cauliflower

Add turmeric powder, pepper powder and garam masala ( optional) and continue frying.

Add turmeric powder, pepper powder and garam masala 

Add a cup of water and cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Stir fry is ready

Add salt and stir. Squeeze lime juice before serving.

Cauliflower stir fry is ready. It can be served as a side dish or consumed on its own.

Cauliflower stir-fry with turmeric

YOU MAY LIKE TO SEE

Cauliflower with broccoli stir-fry

Snake gourd and mung bean mild curry

Snake gourd and mung bean mild curry

Snake gourd is a long vegetable. It can grow up to 50 inches. What I bought were about 22 inches long. It is also known as chichinda and padwal. This is an Asian vegetable and is available almost throughout the year. It has no strong flavor and is bland. We need to add more spices to make it tasty.

Usually snake gourd is fried before cooking.  Today I am not going to fry the snake gourd. I am not going to fry even the onion. This is a very simple and easy to make curry.

                                        

                                 Recipe summary
                                           For
                 Snake gourd and mung bean mild curry

Preparation time:30 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

1. Slice 500 grams of  snake gourd into ½ inch slices.

Snake gourd

2. Roast 1/2 cup mung bean, wash and cook in 1 cup of water for about 15 minutes.  Take the pan off the flame and set it aside.

3. In a medium saucepan add the snake gourd, 80 grams coarsely chopped onion, 5 cloves of thinly sliced garlic, 30 grams thinly sliced green chili(1 medium), 10 curry leaves, ½ tsp turmeric 

Snake gourd and mung bean
 mild curry

powder, ½ tsp cumin seeds  Add 2 cups of water. Bring to the boil in high heat. Reduce the heat and cook covered for 15 minutes in low heat. I cooked this in a non-stick wok.Wok is very good for, cooking with little water. You can check to see if there is water at the bottom of the wok.

Ingredients

4. This vegetable is soft and cooks fast. When the vegetable is half done add the boiled beans.

5. If the curry gets too dry add a little water.  We are aiming at a curry which is thick but there will be no gravy.

6. Add the ½ cup coconut milk and 1 tsp salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.Taste for seasoning and adjust.


7. The snake gourd and mung been curry is ready. It can be served as side dish or with rice or any kind of bread (roti).

Snake gourd and mung bean mild curry is ready.
                                  

                  Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time:30 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredient

Main

500 grams snake gourd

½ cup split mung bean

Others

80 grams onion, chopped coarsely

30 grams green chili, sliced thin (1 medium)

5 cloves of garlic sliced thin

10 curry leaves

½ cup of coconut cream

1 teaspoon salt

Spices

½ teaspoon of turmeric powder

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

Ingredients for Snake gourd and mung bean mild curry

Preparation

Cleaning and preparing snake gourd is described in my previous post: Fried snake gourd spicy curry.

Slice the snake gourd into ½ inch slices.

Snake gourd cut into bite size pieces

Roast mung bean, wash and cook in 1 cup of water for about 15 minutes.  Take the pan off the flame and set it aside.

Boiled mung bean

Method

In a medium saucepan add the snake gourd, onion, garlic, ginger, chili, curry leaves, turmeric powder, cumin seeds  Add 2 cups of water. Bring to the boil in high heat. Reduce the heat and cook covered for 15 minutes in low heat. I cooked this in a non-stick wok.Wok is very good for, cooking with little water. You can check to see if there is water at the bottom of the wok.

Snake gourd, onion, garlic, chili, curry leaves, turmeric powder, cumin

This vegetable is soft and cooks fast. When the vegetable is half done add the boiled beans.

Boiled mung bean is added

 If the curry gets too dry add a little water.  We are aiming at a curry which is thick but there will be no gravy.

Add the coconut milk and salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Adding coconut milk and salt

Taste for seasoning and adjust.

Curry is ready

The snake gourd and mung been curry is ready. It can be served as side dish or with rice or any kind of bread (roti).

Snake gourd and mung bean mild curry

YOU MAY LIKE TO SEE MY FRIED CURRY

Fried Snake gourd spicy curry

Toasted fish sandwich

Toasted fish sandwich

Toasted sandwich is one of our family favorites. It is handy for picnics, long distance travel etc. I made the sandwiches on a stove top sandwich maker. I am using this for more  than 25 years. Those days it was very common. Nowadays electric sandwich maker is mostly used. But I like best is the one made by gas top toaster as the saying old is gold.

Manual Toaster

Inside of the toaster

Toaster with the toasted fish sandwich

I used canned fish but fresh fish also can be used. I think canned fish is tastier.

                                    Recipe summary
                                              For
                                  Toasted fish sandwich
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes to make the filling ( Toasting 21/2 minutes per piece)

Serves: 8 to 10

1. I used 800 grams canned fish (2 cans of 400 grams each). Open the can remove the fish and wash to remove the tomato sauce. Flake the fish and add 1 tsp chili powder, ½ tsp  pepper powder, 1 tsp salt, and mix. Keep aside.

Toasted fish sandwich

2. Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil oil in a medium sized frying pan or sauce pan. When the oil is hot add 80 grams chopped onion (1)  and fry for 5 minutes.

3. Add 4 cloves  garlic, sliced,  10 grams grated ginger and 1 sprig curry leaves and fry for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Ingredients for Toasted
fish sandwich

4. Add 10 grams  thinly sliced red chili and 32 grams  thinly sliced green chili and fry for 3 minutes.

5. Add 180 grams tomato ( sliced and seeds removed) and fry for 5 minutes or until all the moister in the tomato is evaporated. We want the filling to be dry and not soggy.

6. Add the 200 grams russet potato ( boiled and cut into small pieces) and cook for 5 minutes. Lightly mash the potato while stirring.

7. Add fish mixture and stir well.

The filling

8. The filling is ready.
Making the sandwich
1. My sandwich maker is not non-stick. Add a little butter on one side of the metal plate and heat on very light heat for 3 seconds and turn to the other side of the metal plate without opening for the butter to spread on that side too.

Sandwich in the toaster

2. I apply butter on one side of the bread which comes into contact with the metal plate.

3. I put the bread on the sandwich maker and put in a generous quantity of filling and cover it with another piece of bread with butter on the other side buttered side facing up. Cover and close the toaster and cut the excess bread bulging out side using a butter knife.

4. Cook over a light flame turning both sides.  It took only 2½ minutes to cook both sides on the gas stove top.

5. Spicy sandwich is ready. Serve it while still warm.

Toasted fish sandwich is ready.
                                  

                      Recipe follows in detail with pictures.


Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes to make the filling ( Toasting 21/2 minutes per piece)
Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients for the filling
800 grams canned fish (2 cans of 400 grams each)
80 grams onion (1) chopped
200 grams russet potato ( boiled and cut into small pieces)
180 grams tomato ( sliced and seeds removed)
32 grams green chili sliced thin
1 sprig curry leaves chopped
10 grams ginger
4 cloves garlic
1 red chili
1 green chili
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 tea spoon pepper powder.
1 teaspoon chili powder.

Ingredients for Toasted fish sandwich

Ingredients for sandwich
32 slices of bread
125 grams butter

Preparation of filling

Open the can remove the fish and wash to remove the tomato sauce. Flake the fish and add chili powder pepper powder, salt, and mix. Keep aside.

Fish marinated with chili, pepper,cumin powder  and salt

Heat the oil in a medium sized frying pan or sauce pan. When the oil is hot add the onion and fry for 5 minutes.
Add garlic, ginger and curry leaves and fry for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Frying onion garlic,ginger,and curry leaf

Add red and green chili and fry for 3 minutes.

Adding chili

Add tomato and fry for 5 minutes or until all the moister in the tomato is evaporated. We want the filling to be dry and not soggy.

Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Lightly mash the potato while stirring.

Adding potato

Add fish mixture and stir well.

The filling is ready.

The filling

Making the sandwich

My sandwich maker is not non-stick. Add a little butter on one side of the metal plate and heat on very light heat for 3 seconds and turn to the other side of the metal plate without opening for the butter to spread on that side too.
 I apply butter on one side of the bread which comes into contact with the metal plate.

Buttered bread

 I put the bread on the sandwich maker and put in a generous quantity of filling and cover it with another piece of bread with butter on the other side buttered side facing up.

preparing the toaster

 Cover and close the toaster and cut the excess bread bulging out side using a butter knife.

The excess bread

Cook over a light flame turning both sides.  It took only 2½ minutes to cook both sides on the gas stove top.

The toast is ready

Spicy sandwich is ready.

Serve it while still warm.

Toasted fish sandwich

If you are going to make for the family  make the sandwiches ready on a plate. Keep the buttered side of the bread in contact with the plate, put the filling, cover it with the other slice of the bread buttered side facing out.

Buttered bread and filling

Bread with the filling