Cauliflower Manchurian Dry - A starter dish (IndoChinese Style)

After Paneer, Cauliflower is another ingredient that is made as Manchurian an Indo Chinese dish. This also can be made both as dry starter and also as a gravy. When my brother visited us, I wanted to surprise him and his family with something different and unique and for the starter I had made this Cauliflower Manchurian which every one liked and relished.

Ingredients:
Cauliflower Big - 1 no.
Onion - 4 nos

Tomato - 1 no.
Spring Onions - 3 stems
Green Chilly - 2 nos
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Soy Sauce - 1 tbsp
Tomato Ketchup - 1 tbsp
Corn Flour - 2 tbsp
Pepper Powder - 1/4 tbsp (optional)
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder - 3/4th tbsp
Cumin Powder - 3/4th tbsp
Water - 1 cup
Oil- 4 tbsp and 1/4 tbsp for shallow frying

Salt to Taste

Method :

Clean and cut cauliflower into florets. Put them in boiling water added with turmeric powder and a bit of salt. Cover with a lid and remove from flame. Drain the water and separate the florets. 

Mix cornflour, red chilly powder, salt, cumin powder and coriander powder and add little water to make a fine paste. Add the drained florets to the paste and mix thoroughly so that all the florets are coated evenly. Let it marinate for about 15 minutes.

Chop onions finely. Grind tomato to a puree. Chop spring onion leaves into bits.

In a frying pan add the 1/4 cup of oil and fry the cauliflower florets slowly. Remove them when they turn golden brown in colour. Remove and drain well.

In a flat bottom pan, add 4 tbsp oil, saute the spring onion leaves, add finely chopped onions and saute them too. Add the green chillies and pureed tomato. Mix well. Add the Soya Sauce and Tomato Ketchup followed by fried Cauliflower florets, Mix everything thoroughly till all the ingredients blend together. Add the ginger garlic paste and give it a toss. Transfer it to a serving bowl and top it with chopped spring onions and caramalized onions

If you want to make it as a gravy for side dish, then add a cup of water and add the left over marinated paste and bring it to boil. Keep stirring so that it does not settle at the bottom.When it turns glassy, remove from flame, transfer to a serving bowl, decorate it with finely chopped  spring onions and serve with any Roti or Chappati of your choice or even Veg Pulav and Fried Rice.

Gobi Mussalam|Gobi Musallam

After learning the name of the dish I make quite often as Baingan Mussalam, I was quite intrigued as to what other veggies can be used to make this Mussalam. Found from the net that Potato, Baby Potato and Cauliflower can also be used to make Mussalam. But each vegetable have a different type of cooking the same Mussalam.

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 small
Onions - 2 nos
Tomato Puree - 1 1/2 cups
Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 1 no or Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 4 nos
Green Chillies - 2 nos
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 8 nos
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Milk - 1/4 cup (optional)
Salt to taste
Oil - 1/4 litre
Coriander leaves - finely chopped 1/2 cup

Method:
In a pan dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, clove and grind it to a fine paste adding little water along with cashew nuts and garam masala.

Cut the Cauliflower into small florets. Boil the florets in water along with little salt and turmeric powder. When half done, drain and when the water is drained, fry the florets in a small deep fry pan till they become brown in colour.

In a shallow pan add ghee and when hot add ginger garlic paste and saute a little. Add the ground paste and onion simultaneously and fry till the oil is separated. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder and add 1/2 cup of water. Mix everything thoroughly. Add the tomato puree and another 1/2 cup of water. Add salt and reduce the flame to let the gravy become thick and oil floats on top. Add little oil (or milk) and the fried cauliflower pieces. Bring it to boil and keep it in low flame for another 3 mins.

Garnish it with coriander leaves, fried cashew nuts.

Serve this hot with Roti/Chappati.

Cauliflower curry

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 medium
Bengal gram flour - 1 cup
All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Sat to taste
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil for frying
Green chillies - 2 nos
Oninon - 1 big
Curry leaves
Oil - for frying
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Method:
Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Boil water for about 5 mins. Add salt to it and immerse the cauliflower in it for about 5 mins. Remove, drain and let them cool.

Mix bengal gram flour, maida flour, salt, chili powder, garlic paste and make a fine batter using water. Immerse the cauliflower pieces in the batter and set aside. Let the florets be coated with the batter thoroughly. Heat oil in a shallow pan. When hot add the cauliflower pieces to it and fry till golden brown. Ensure that the florets dont stick to one another.

Chop green chillies finely. Chop the onions to thin pieces. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters add cumin seeds, finely chopped coriander leaves, green chillies, onions and fry for a minute. Add tomato puree and the fried cauliflower pieces and mix well. Serve hot as a starter or as a side dish for veg fried rice and also for Chappati.

Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 small
Onion - 1 big
Oil - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green Chilly - 1 no
Toned Milk - 1 1/2 cup
Salt and Pepper powder to taste
Corn flour - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Method:
Cut cauliflower into small florets. Put them in boiling water added with a pinch of turmeric powder. Keep it in water for about 5 mins. Drain and remove excess water. Slit the green chilly into 2, chop the onions finely.

 In a pan heat oil and fry the onion till they become glassy. Add the cauliflower and saute well. Add cornflour to 1/4 cup of water and add it to the pan. Add 1 cup of milk and 1/2  cup of water and reduce the flame. After a few mins add the chilly and ginger. Close the pressure pan and cook for about 1 whistle. When cool remove ginger and chilly.

Grind the cooked vegetable in a juicer grinder. Add the remaining milk and another cup of water. Heat the mixture again in medium flame. Let it not go to a boil.

Add salt and pepper powder to taste. Serve hot.