Cauliflower pepper fry masala

Cauliflower pepper fry masala (cauliflower milagu masala), is a semi dry dish with little masala, not a curry type. Cauliflower pepper fry masala goes well with chapathi, poratta, dosa, plain rice with dal (any lentil dal) and rasam (tamarind based Chennai soup). The pepper and fennel spice goes well with the cauliflower, which makes the dish tastier and flavoured one.

Ingredients

  1. Cauliflower (small size) – 1 or 350 gms
  2. Oil – 4 to 5 tbsp
  3. Onion (sliced) – 100 gms
  4. Ginger and garlic paste – 2 tsp
  5. Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
  6. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
  7. Green chillies (slit) – 3
  8. Water – 3 tbsp
  9. Garam masala – a pinch
  10. Salt - as per taste
  11. Roasted spices

  12. Saunf (aniseeds) – 1 tsp
  13. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
  14. Pepper seeds – 2 tsp
  15. Curry leaves – 8

Method

  1. Preheat the tava or pan; add a pepper seed, curry leaves, fennel seeds, roast them on lower flame, till aroma and lightly colour is changed.
  2. Grind them into a fine powder, keep it aside.
  3. Heat oil in a vessel; add onions and fry for 3 to 4min till soft and transparent.
  4. Add ginger and garlic paste sauté for 3 min on medium flame; add roasted spices and sauté for 1min.
  5. Add curd (yoghurt) by simmering the flame, with chilli powder, turmeric powder, water and mix well, quickly.
  6. Add the cauliflower pieces and mix well, till all the yoghurt mixture blends well with the cauliflower.
  7. Cook the cauliflower on simmer by closing the lid, till it is cooked.
  8. Stir in between and to see whether the cauliflower is cooked.
  9. Add garam masala when the cauliflower is cooked and cook for 5min more on simmer.
  10. If there is liquid in the cauliflower can cook on medium flame for (roasting) 2 to 3min, till you get your consistency. Switch off.
  11. I have served with lemon rice, which I enjoyed a lot, with tangy flavoured rice and peppery cauliflower taste (cauliflower milagu masala).

Notes

  1. You can add few whole spices like cloves 2, green cardamom 2, and cinnamon stick 1/2inch, while cooking the onion.
  2. If you like more pepper just adds more pepper powder, while adding garam masala in the end and cook for few minutes.
  3. When the cauliflower is cooked, add garam masala and you can roast on medium flame for 3 to 4min as roasting and switch off.
  4. Add the cauliflower as per the onion mixture cooked and as per your taste.