Cauliflower has been having a bit of a moment in the last year or so. I feel like everywhere I turn cauliflower is being used as a carb replacement. There’s everything from the ubiquitous cauliflower rice to more ambitious cauliflower pizza crust and even cauliflower grilled cheese sandwiches. I have to admit, I haven’t tried many of these recipes, as every time I get cauliflower I tend to veer towards some classic Indian dishes. Despite the recent trends, cauliflower has always been one of my most favorite dishes. It is hearty, delicious, and its mildly sweet flavor stands up beautifully to some strong Indian spices. This dish is a recipe that we made frequently when I was growing up. The cauliflower is paired with potato and balanced with a sweetly acidic tomato and cumin broth. It comes together quickly and uses ingredients easily found year round, I encourage you to try it, and if you want to serve it with cauliflower rice, well, who am I to say no?
This recipe starts out with tempering cumin in oil, allowing it to darken, but never burn. This pulls out the sweet flavor profile that cumin has lurking inside. Letting it go a bit further brings out the smoky flavors. In this dish, we want to use the sweeter edge of the cumin, so be careful not to let it burn. Then the potatoes and cauliflower are tossed in the cumin infused oil and cooked until they turn a bit translucent. After that, the tomatoes and a variety of spices are added in, with some water. All of this simmers together until the cauliflower and potato are tender and the tomatoes have melted away into a flavorful broth. If you have beautifully sweet tomatoes, there’s no need for sugar, but with most tomatoes, we add a bit of sugar to balance the acidity and spice and then the dish is ready to eat. It’s delicious on top of any grains, with khichdi, or with Indian flatbread, and would make a wonderful accompaniment to pork or chicken!
Cauliflower and Potato in Tomato Cumin Broth ~ Fulaver, Bataka, ane Tameta nu Shak
| Prep: | Cook: | Yield: serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side. | Total: |
A delicious, classic Gujarati cauliflower dish with potatoes, in a spicy tomato cumin broth.
You'll Need...
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into large florets
- 3 medium white, russet, or red potatoes, coarsely chopped
- 3 roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 3 Tbsp canola oil, or other neutral vegetable oil
- 2 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tsp crushed/finely minced fresh jalapeno
- 1 tsp crushed/grated ginger
- 1/2-1 tsp sugar, or to taste
- Water, as needed
- Salt to taste
- Cilantro for garnish
Directions
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan. When shimmering, add the cumin and stir to coat. Allow to cook until the cumin darkens a few shades and becomes aromatic.
- Add the cauliflower and potato and stir to coat well. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the stems of the cauliflower florets become slightly translucent.
- Add the tomato, turmeric, chili powder, jalapeno, ginger, a pinch of salt and stir well to combine. Cover and cook for about one minute.
- Add enough water to the pan, such that the water is visible under at the edge of the vegetables, but does not completely submerge them. Stir well, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and fully cooked. Add 1/2 tsp of sugar and stir well.
- Taste and adjust for sugar and salt. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Additional Notes
Goes well with rice, khichdi, flatbread, or as a side to pork or chicken.
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