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Cauliflower eats

Nutritious Cauliflower is versatile

Cauliflower belongs to the mustard family, cruciferae. Loam soil is considered best for cauliflower, and the climate should be cool and moist. Only the head (the white curd) of the cauliflower is edible. The curd consists of thickly clustered, shortened floral parts which are surrounded by large green leaves.

Cauliflower is usually eaten cooked but sometimes eaten pickled or raw. Cauliflower is rich in vitamin C, folate and numerous phytochemicals which is for good health.

It is also rich in cancer fighting bioflavanoids and indoles. It is an ideal food for weight watchers because it is filling, high in fiber and low in calories. Raw cauliflower contains more folate, 80 per cent of which may be lost during cooking.

Baking steaming or boiling in minimum water are the best ways of cooking, to retain its flavour and reduce nutrient loss. Too much cooking turns cauliflower mushy, and releases sulphurous compounds, resulting in bitter taste and unpleasant odour.

Cauliflower Tikka

Cauliflower – 250 gms (clean and cut into one-

and-a-half inch pieces)

Capsicum – 1 medium cut into fine rings

Tomato – 2 medium cut into strips

Onion – 2 medium cut into fine rings

Curd (thick) – 1 tbsp

Ginger – One-and-a-half inch piece

Garlic – 3-4 flakes

Red chilli (dry) - 3

Salt to taste

Garam masala – Half tsp

Jeera powder – One-fourth tsp

Oil – 4 tbsp

Lemon juice - One-and-a-half tbsp

Preparation

Grind ginger, garlic and chillies to fine paste. Mix it with curd, jeera powder, salt, lemon juice, gram masala and 2 tbsp oil. Apply half of the paste to cauliflower pieces and marinate for 2 hours.

Grill cauliflower in a greased oven proof dish in a hot oven till the cauliflower gets light brown from the sides.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan, add capsicum and onion. Stir well, till onion gets light brown. Add the remaining paste into it and mix well. Add tomato strips and stir lightly.

Remove from fire.

Add cauliflower pieces to it and stir lightly. Serve hot with rice or chappathi.

Chilli cauliflower

Cauliflower – 400 gm

Cooking oil – 2 tbsp

Onion – 1 finely sliced

Ginger (shredded) – 4 cm piece

Garlic (finely chopped) – 2 large cloves

Mustard seeds – Half tsp

Celery leaves – 2-3 springs

For paste

Chilli powder – 1 tbsp

Corriander powder – 1 tbsp

Cumin powder – half tsp

Turmeric powder – 1 heaped tsp

Water – 4 tbsp

For sauce

Vinegar – 3 tbsp

Sugar – 4 tbsp

Salt to taste

Water – Half cup

Chillies (red and green) – 3 each

Preparation

Cut cauliflower into small pieces and season it with salt.

Heat oil in a pan and fry onion, ginger and garlic for a couple of minutes. Put in mustard seeds and celery leaves and continue frying until onions gets light brown. Add cauliflower into it and toss well.

To this, add sauce ingredients stir for 15 minutes. Pour half a cup of water into it, and stir continuously over low flame.

When the cauliflower becomes almost soft add chillies, stir well until the sauce becomes thick. Remove from fire, and serve hot.

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