Cauliflower Bhurji with Matar

Hello all,

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While summer has started in back home, we are enjoying rains in Pittsburgh. I seriously doubt whether we would have summer with sun shining bright this year in Pittsburgh.  I could withstand even if the sun burns on me but can’t stand with this rainy and windy weather, because of my sinusitis! And more over, I feel personally that such moody weather makes me lazy! I remember my childhood days spent at my aunt’s place till this moment. I was away from my parents for some years and was in my aunt’s place as my dad used to get transferred often because of his nature of job. Sometimes, his location will be in a metro city and sometimes, it will be place where there are no proper roads.  We rarely get rains in my native place. On such rainy days, my aunt used to prepare hot samosas, bhajis and muttai bonda.  I, my cousin brothers, uncle and aunt used to sit together and have these hot spicy snacks with a cup of chai.  What a bliss it was !  The inner child in me still wants such evenings on rainy days. Today it’s raining here in Pittsburgh. I won’t say it’s pouring down but drizzling with a slight coldness in air. What a lovely day!

My desire for bhaji insisted me to experiment some simple dish and at the same which would be perfect for rice with rasam.  I already told you that such rainy days makes me lazy and I don’t want to spend much time in doing anything other than sitting in my living room, staring out through my windows and enjoying the weather from inside. I had cauliflower and peas in my refrigerator; So, why can’t I try Cauliflower peas combination?  And they complement each other too ! And Cauliflower has numerous health benefits and if you want to know more about the cauliflower, then do check out the post – 28 Science-backed Health Benefits of Cauliflower compiled by Helen Nicholas here 

And that’s how I ended up in this simple yet delicious Cauliflower bhurji with matar!…  How about your day on such rainy days?

Cauliflower Bhurji with Matar is prepared by cooking grated cauliflower with peas and spices. They serve as great accompaniment for rice and is a modern twist to the traditional cauliflower fry.  Ensure grated cauliflower are not over fried to avoid them from becoming soggy. This bhurji can be used as stuffing for roti/chapatti and can be packed for travel. They are perfect recipe to be packed for kids lunch box.

Ingredients:

• 1 small sized Cauliflower
• 1 cup of peas
• 1 medium sized Onion, chopped finely
• 1 medium sized tomato, chopped finely
• 3 Green Chilies
• 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
• ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
• ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder
• 1 ½ tablespoon Oil
• Salt as required
• Coriander, for garnish

Method:

• Bring water to boil in a pot. Add cauliflower florets in boiling water and keep aside for 10 minutes
• Drain the water from the florets and grate them into fine pieces. Else process them in a food processor to get fine grated pieces
• Heat half tablespoon oil in a kadai over medium heat
• Add grated cauliflower and fry them for about 5 minutes, until water is absorbed from the florets. Set them aside
• In a kadai, add oil and finely chopped onions.
• Cook them until they become transparent; Add ginger garlic paste and mix them well with the onions
• Add tomato pieces and cook until they become mushy
• Add peas, turmeric powder, red chili powder and required amount of salt
• Cook them for about 5 minutes until spice powders are mixed well with peas
• Add cauliflower with peas mixture and combine them well
• Close the lid and cook for about until the grated florets are cooked
• Don’t over cook cauliflower as they become soggy.
• Sprinkle grama masala powder over the bhurji and toss them well
• Switch off the flame and allow them to cool down

This tastes delicious with hot rice and spicy tomato rasam. You can stuff chapatti with spicy cauliflower peas mixture, roll them and enjoy as such or with creamy white sauce.

Newbie’s Pitfalls:

• Grate cauliflower or chop them finely
• Do not overcook cauliflower as they become soggy