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A blend of fine tastes

Gratin de choux fleurs and petits pois à la viande hachée are easy to make, good to taste and healthy

HEALTHY COMBO Gratin de choux fleurs and petits pois à la viande hachée PHOTOS: T. SINGARAVELOU

Gratin de choux fleurs is easy-to-make. A combination of baked cauliflower, cheese and nutmeg, this gratin is tasty and wholesome. It is served hot with petits pois à la viande hachée and bread or plain rice.

Petits pois à la viande hachée too can be made in a jiffy and is cooked in many Pondicherrian families. The fine combination of spices add a local flavour to a dish that was most probably French in origin. Now, that peas are available in plenty, you should give this dish a try. The combination of cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, peas, mutton mince and tomatoes is healthy and good to taste.

Gratin de choux fleurs

Serves 6

Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

Cauliflower - 2, cut in small flowerets
Thick milk - half a litre
Cheddar cheese - 150 gm, grated
Nutmeg - grated, 1tsp
Pepper - 1 tsp
Maida -1 tbsp

Salt

Method

Cook and cool cauliflower. Mix the maida in milk, without letting lumps to form. Bring to a boil, stirring all the while. Add nutmeg, salt, pepper and half of the grated cheese.

In an ovenproof container, place the cauliflower, add the sauce, top with cheese and bake until cheese has melted and is a bit brown. Serve piping hot with petits pois à la viande hachée and bread.

Petits pois à la viande hachée

Serves 6

Time 30 minutes

Peas - half a kg to 1 kg
Mutton mince - half a kg
Onions - 2 big, cut fine
Tomatoes - 2 big, cut fine
Green chillies - 2, cut fine
Garlic - 6 pods, peeled and crushed
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 small piece
Bay leaf - half a leaf
Oil - 1 tbsp
Pepper - 1 tsp
Salt

Method

In a deep frying pan, fry cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf for 3 minutes. Add onions, fry. Add garlic, fry. Add tomatoes and cook till tomatoes turn soft. Add mince and cook till meat is ready. Add peas and cook till peas are ready. Add salt and pepper. Serve hot with bread and gratin aux choux fleurs.

KETHARI SRIVANJIAM

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