Cauliflower and Peas Masala Kerala Style

Everyone loves a change from the usual routine. When it comes to curries for chapathi, the most common in our house are moong, garbanzo beans, mixed vegetables and potato bhaji. Sometimes we tend to get bored of the same taste. Cauliflower peas masala was something new. At home no one is  fond of cauliflower but with this gravy everyone loved it. 

INGREDIENTS

Cauliflower - A medium one ( the one I used weighed 356g)

Peas - 1/2 cup ( I used frozen)

Turmeric/Manjal - 1/4tsp +1/4 tsp

Split Black Gram/ Uzhunnu parippu - 1/2 tsp

Coriander seeds/ Malli - 2 tbsp

Red Dry Chilly/ Vattal Mulaku - 4

Scraped Coconut/ Thenga  - 1 cup (tightly packed)

Shallots/ Cheriya Ulli - 10

Garlic/ Veluthulli - 4 cloves

Curry leaves/ Kariveppila - 1+ 1 sprig

Onion/ Savala- 1 large (thinly sliced)

Lime juice -  of 1 medium size lime

Coconut Oil - 2 + 1 tbsp

Water - 1/4+ 1/4+ 2 cups ( approx 1/2 cup more to grind the masala)

Salt - as required

METHOD

• Cut cauliflower into small florets.
• Cook cauliflower and peas separately after adding 1/4 tsp each turmeric powder, 1/4 cup each water and salt.Keep aside.
• In a kadai heat oil. Add split black gram when it turns golden add coriander seeds and dry red chilly.Remove and keep aside.
• In the same kadai add the coconut, shallots, garlic and 1 sprig curry leaves and roast till brown in colour.
• Remove and grind it into fine paste along with the split gram, coriander and dry red chillies.
• Heat a kadai. Add 1 tbsp oil and saute the onion. 
• Now add the cauliflower, peas, ground masala and water. 
• Add the lime juice. 
• Add the required salt and let it come to a boil.
• Add a sprig of curry leaves. 
• Serve hot with roti or jeera rice or ghee rice.

Cooking Tips:

This is a medium spicy curry. Adjust chilly as per taste.

It is better to grind the masala in a grinder as the masala needs to be ground into a nice paste.