ITS VEGGIE TIME: CAULIFLOWER WITH POTATO

My husband is not very fond of veggies , sometimes he tries to skip it , if it is accompanied with a non-veg dish. Though I manage to cook it atleast three times a week. Cauliflower is one such vegetable which I make quite often. I have collected some facts about cauliflower and wanted to share about it.

• It belongs to the mustard family, related to the cabbage and broccoli and having a whitish undeveloped flower with a large edible head.
• Cauliflower is an annual plant, means it has a life span of one year, germinates in summer and blooms in late autumn/fall, winter or early spring.
• It is very nutritious, contains dietary fibre, folate, vitamin C and water.
• It is low in fat.
• There are many varieties of cauliflower:

1. Traditional varieties (Snowball, Hybrid White, Mayflower, Mormon, poushi, maghi)
2. Self-blanching varieties (Self Blanche, Early Tuscan, Late Tuscan)
3. Heirloom varieties (All the Year Round, Early Pearl, Early Snowball, Igloo, Violetta Italia)
4. Commercial varieties (Fremont, Igloo, Snow Crown)

• Cauliflower and broccoli are the same species and have very similar structures, though cauliflower replaces the green flower buds with white.
• Orange cauliflower contains 25 times the level of Vitamin A of white varieties.
• Purple cauliflower also exists. The purple color is caused by the presence of the antioxidant group anthocyanin, which can also be found in red cabbage.
• A high intake of cauliflower has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
• Low carb dieters can use cauliflower as a reasonable substitute for potatoes for while they can produce a similar texture, or mouth feel, they lack the starch of potatoes.
• Cauliflower has Sulphoraphane, an anti-cancer compound released when cauliflower is chopped or chewed.
• In addition, the compound indole-3-carbinol, appears to slow or prevent the growth of tumors of the breast and prostate.

INGREDIENTS

1 CUP CAULIFLOWER (CUT INTO FLORETS)

1 MEDIUM SIZED POTATO(CUBED)

1 MEDIUM ONION

3 GREEN CHILLI

1 TOMATO

1 TSP FENUGREEK SEEDS

1 TSP GINGER/GARLIC PASTE

SALT TO TASTE

1 TSP TURMERIC POWDER

1 TSP RED CHILLI POWDER

1/2 TSP CUMIN POWDER

HANDFUL OF CORIANDER LEAVES (FOR GARNISHING)

STEPS OF PREPARATION

1.Heat oil in a pan add fenugreek seeds.

2.When they gives off aroma and changes colour, add half onion sliced.

3.When onion turns light golden brown in colour, add half tomato finely chopped and stir for a minute.

4.Now add ginger/garlic paste and all the spices, mix well (if needed add small quantity of water to avoid spices to get burned).

5.Make a thick paste of remaining tomato and onion with enough water and add to the pan, mix and cover to cook till oil separates.

6.Add cauliflower, potato, whole green chilli and 1 cup water, stir and cover to cook till done on medium-low heat(takes 20-30 minutes).

7.Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti.