Sukhi aloo gobi (dry cauliflower and potato)

1. Cut cauliflower into florets, wash and drain water. Cut potatoes in similar size.
2. Make dry roasted, ground spice mix of cumin, coriander, sauf and a few methi seeds. Saute the vegetables in mustard oil with nigella seeds, diced red onions, the ground spices, turmeric, salt, slit green chilies, red chili powder, amchur, half cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
3. In a separate pan add 2 tsp ghee, fresh ginger garlic paste, and diced tomatoes. Add 4 tsp water, just enough to cook the masala through. Add the sauted vegetables. Cook uncovered on low heat till done. Add kasuri methi towards the end. 
4. Serve warm with rice or chapati (Indian flatbread)

Vermicelli pilaf/pulao

1. Bring a sauce pan of water to boil. Add vermicelli and boil on low till soft. Take out and drain in a colander in cold water. (to prevent sticking)
2. Cut potatoes and cauliflowers into bite sized pieces. Microwave with water for 3-4 mins or till al dente. 
3. In a non-stick frying, heat 1 tsp cooking oil,  add minced onions, mustard seeds (can skip), curry leaves, minced green chilis (I used 2 ), green peas, turmeric, salt. Stir. Add  drained potatoes and cauliflower that you steamed first. Next, add the vermicelli. Add spicy cashews (or dry roasted ones). Taste for salt.

I had it for breakfast today with tea. The instruction packet asked us to fry the vermicelli for pulao. I prefer to boil them.

Some variations use tomatoes and carrots. This preparation is similar to my breakfast poha or chirer pulao recipe. 

Doi fulkopi posto diye (Cauliflower in poppy seed- yogurt sauce)

1. Cut cauliflower into bite sized florets. Microwave them for 4 mins in water with diced potatoes . Drain the water in a colander.
2. In a frying pan (with cover), add 2 tsp mustard oil, 1/2 tsp ghee, 1-2 bay leaves, 1/4 tsp nigella seeds (kalo jeere or kalonji), 4-5 slit green chilies. Add the vegetables. Cover and cook.
3. In a coffee grinder, add 3 tsps cashews, 8 peppercorns, 3 tsp poppy seeds, 3 green cardamom, 1/2 cinnamon stick- ground to a fine powder. Add it to the vegetables, evenly.
4. Stir and cook till the poppy is well roasted. Beat 3 tbsp yogurt with water, add evenly.
5. Cover and cook until the oil separates and the vegetables are well done. You may slip in a few golden raisins and a spoonful of sugar.

For other recipes with posto (poppy seeds), see:

Aloo bean posto kaju

Jhinge aloo kaju posto

Doi begun posto

Poha / Chirer Polao

Chirer polao or aloo poha is a favorite for breakfast in winter. And surprisingly easy to make too.

1. Wash the poha (flattened rice) in cold water and drain in a colander.
2. Finely chop onions, green chilis. Julienne/matchstick ginger if you prefer to add them.
3.  Dice potatoes, cauliflower in small bits.  (You might want to add a little salt here)
4. In a wok, heat vegetable oil and add mustard seeds, onions, then potatoes, cauliflower, frozen green peas. Stir.
5. When the veggies are about done, add curry leaves, Whole mustard seeds, green chilis, ginger, dry roasted peanuts. (you can use your favorite snacking peanuts too.)
6. Add the moist poha (you can add salt and a tsp sugar uniformly before you add it to the wok), stir well and serve warm.

*
I always try to think what I can have for breakfast- I had almost forgotten how good a well toasted bread tastes in warm milk. Yum.

Schezwan/Szechuan Cauliflower (Indo-chinese style)

The Chinese population in India adapted their cooking techniques making it more palatable to locals (my-to do list: Visit Chinatown in Kolkata next time I'm in India).

I love Indo-chinese - it was one of the first cuisines I tasted as a child that seemed different from the traditional Bengali fare I usually had at home *sigh*- other than the Mughlai, North-Indian, South-Indian, and occasional pasta (elbow/macaroni) breaks. Now, I have access to most major cuisines of the world, or at least some versions of it. But Indo-chinese still remains one of my most favorites. A minimalist vegetable fried rice accompanied with chili chicken will lift my mood any given day. And have I declared my undying love for steamed dumplings in this space yet? The world seems a brighter place with good food. :)

You know the drill, first cut the florets into pieces of equal size, steam in microwave for 5 mins(depending on size, may skip). Add to batter(I like besan(gram flour): corn flour in 3:1  with a drizzle of soy sauce and water added incrementally for right consistency) and fry in batches in hot oil in a deep frying pan.

Drain the oil in paper towels (very imp)

In a separate wok, saute bite-sized bell peppers and red onions , add minced ginger -garlic, szechuan sauce, soy sauce. No need to add salt if you are not using low-sodium soy sauce.

Add the cauliflowers , toss and serve with minced green onions and slit green chilis

You can use paneer or tofu instead of cauliflower, though I don't like to fry paneer,(unless I am making bhurji).Prefer to place them in warm water instead to soften the paneer. You can substitute the cauliflower with veggie mix/cabbage, chicken or filleted fish too.

See also, Link 1 [delhibelle]

Bonus Recipe: Kopi bhaja (cauliflower fritters)
Cut Cauliflower into florets, add salt, turmeric, garlic powder+herbs mix, besan (chickpea flour) and deep fry in oil. Drain excess oil in paper towels. Serve hot.

Cauliflower casserole with French-fried onions

Ingredients:

1. 1 can cream of mushroom soup
2. 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
3. 1 cup French fried onions
4. Cauliflower florets steamed in microwave for about 5 mins
5. Celery stalks diced
6. Green peas, a handful

Method:

1. Cut cauliflower into same sized florets, microwave. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on them and place them on a greased ( with a spoonful of olive oil) baking tray
2. Add the celery and peas, empty the can of mushroom soup, add the cruncy french onions. Mix
3. Bake at 300F for about 30 mins or until done. Add more french onions if you want extra crunch.

Had tomato-mozzarella salad with it