Cauliflower curry

Yotam Ottolenghi raved about the virtues of cauliflower on Radio 4 a few weeks ago, likening the vegetable’s ability to absorb flavours to that of meat.  As a child I loved this dish but we don’t make it very often at home as Steve tends to screw his face up like a prune when I suggest it as a dinner option.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

• 300g potatoes
• 1 tablespoon of light tasting vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1 medium onion – finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon of coriander-cumin powder
• 1cm square of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 small green chilli finely chopped
• 1 plump clove of garlic, crushed
• 300g canned chopped tomatoes
• 100g peas
• 174g cauliflower – broken into small florets

Method

1. Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces and boil them for 10 minutes
2. Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds to the pan.  Once the seeds have stopped spitting add the onion and let it cook until transparent. 
3. Add the salt, tumeric, chilli powder, garam masala, coriander cumin powder, ginger, chilli and garlic to the pan.  Stir well and let it cook for a minute or two.
4. Add the tomatoes, peas, cauliflower and drained potatoes to the pan.
5. Stir well, add a lid to the pan and let it cook on a lowish heat until the potatoes and cauliflower are cooked – probably 20-25 minutes.
6. Serve immediately with rice or naan bread.