Kadaai Ghobhi - My favourite cauliflower dish

As a kadaai dish, the process of stirring is the key in this dish also. I also hate the monotonous haldi - mirch and adrakh - lehsun stuff.

Though this is also a kadaai dish the masala is very different. As usual stress is on stirring while cooking.

Serves two. Goes well with plain basmati rice

Ingredients

Phool Ghobhi 250 gram

Oil 4 table spoons. You can use olive oil also
2 Large Onions
Haldi - 1/4 teaspoon
Garam Masala - 1 teaspoon
Curd 100 gram ( 3 scooped tablespoon)
6 large garlic pods grated fine
Cinnamon 2 one inch pieces
Moti Saunf (Aniseed) 1/2 teaspoon
Meethi Saunf (Fennel) 1/2 teaspoon
Black pepper corns 1 teaspoon

Green Chillies - finger length  6 (4 if of very hot variety)
Cilantro (hara dhaniya) Coarsely chopped 4 teaspoons

Cut the cauliflower in to florets of one square inch on average. Slit the stems in to half and if big in to a quarter.

Mix the curd with garam masala and haldi and pour it over the florets. Massage  the florets gently with the curd mix taking care not to crush or break them.

Keep it aside for 30 minutes,

Slice the onions fine.

Preparation

Heat the oil and when its real hot add cinnamon sticks. When its about to turn black add moti saunf and the after 3 to 4 seconds meethi saunf. After 3 to 4 seconds add the the black pepper. Remember since the oil is very hot, saunf and pepper need just a few seconds to change colour. As the colour changes add
the onion and keep stirring till the oil separates. You need to prevent anything getting stuck to the pan and turning black. If hard to keep things under control  reduce the heat. (but this would consume more time).

Add the garlic paste and keep stirring briskly till the oil begins to separate. Add the marinated ghobhi with the marinade. Keep stirring. Use scooping motion to avoid breaking the florets. Keep doing it till it becomes
difficult to stop the masala getting stuck to the pan. Then add water to just  about to submerge the contents. once the water begins to boil switch to low flame and cover the kadaai. Let it cook. Open the lid once a while and stir the contents gently.

As the water reduces to half add the green chillies.  Once the water reduces by three fourths, remove the lid and start gently stirring. Keep doing it even after the water is dried up. Keep stirring briskly till the oil separates and the masala is beginning to get suck rather too had for the spatula to mix. Then switch of the fire and add the chopped cilantro and cover the pan.

When you are about to serve, put the pan on fire   for a minute or two and fold the cilantro in and serve.

Kadaai Tofu (Soya Paneer) Low fat and Low sugar

Serves two persons. Goes well with plain rice.

Though the preparation process looks lengthy, it is actually simple - if you remove the mention about the type of stirring to be used. You cannot,however, do anything else while cooking this dish. It requires your constant attention

Ingredients

Olive Oil 4 table spoons. You can use other oil also

150 gram Diet Paneer (Soya Tofu)

2 Large Onions - palm full size

2 Large Tomatoes - palm full size

2 teaspoon of ginger - grated fine

1 Large Capsicum - palm full size

4 Green chillies - finger length

4 teaspoons of cilantro (hara dhaniya)

2 Table spoons of plain curd

1 Large black cardamom

2 One inch piece of Cinnamon

1/4 star anise

1/2 teaspoon of of garam masala

1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder

Preparation

Slice the onions and chop the tomatoes fine. Cut the capsicum in to half inch squares. Slice the tofu in to one inch squares. Let the slices be fairly thin of about a quarter to less than half centimetre

Heat a kadaai. Pour the oil. when the oil is real hot add black cardamom, then cinnamon sticks then Star anise leaving a few seconds between each. Do not burn them but see that these are just about to.

Add sliced onions. Keep stirring it. Remember brisk stirring is very essential for any kadaai dish. This allows caramelisation of food without getting burnt,

when the edges of the onion turn dark brown add the ginger paste briskly stir not letting the ginger stick hard to the bottom of the pan. Use the wooden spatula a little hard to scrape out anything sticking to the pan

When you feel that the ginger is getting stuck a little harder and showing signs of turning dark brown, add the curd and keep stirring it briskly. When the curd has disappeared add the chilly powder and garam masala. Keep stirring so as not let the powdered masala burn. Again when its just about get burnt add the chopped tomatoes

Keep briskly stirring letting the tomatoes merge with the masala. Keep stirring till oil separates (This should happen in about 5 to 7 minutes depending on the ripeness of the tomatoes).

Once the oil separates from masala pour water till the masala is just about drowned inside. Add salt to your taste. Keep it minimal. You can add later, if necessary

Add the sliced capsicum. let the whole thing cook. keep gently stirring occasionally

when the water is half evaporated add the green chillies. Keep stirring gently. Once the water is 3/4 evaporated add the sliced tofu. Keep stirring gently.

Once the water is completely evaporated you would need to step up the speed of stirring. The trick is to use the spatula to scrape out anything sticking to the bottom of the pan. After a while the oil would separate. Again when the masala is just about to stick hard to the pan turn off the fire.

Add the chopped cilantro and cover the pan with a lid.

When you are about to serve, put the pan on fire for a minute or two and fold the cilantro in and serve.