Tag: cauliflower
Vegetable Stir Fry
I can’t think of a better way to use up a bunch of left over vegetables in the fridge. I had half a cauliflower head, yellow and red pepper, asparagus and most importantly, I had green onions. I love using them for their mild oniony flavor and beautiful green color.
I doused the cauliflower florets with some tamari and roasted them. I then sauteed the vegetables with ginger and garlic. I went through my pantry and hoisin sauce stood out. I added some rice vinegar and honey to finish off the sauce.
It was simple, quick and most of all delicious. It was a perfect pairing with the sausage fried rice. My daughter ate all the vegetables except the peppers- she does not like them. I have learnt to pick my battles with her. She is such a good eater and everyone is allowed not to like a few things.
Next time you have left over vegetables, try this delicious stir fry.
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Cauliflower and Scallop Stir Fry
This is a great start to the healthy eating I had envisioned. Cauliflower and scallops are my husband’s two favorite things to eat- usually separately. I thought of using them together in one dish. I have seen some kind a sicilian risotto dish with both cauliflower and scallops used together- with raisins and nuts. I was a bit skeptical pairing them together- but decided to take a chance and go ahead and make a stir fry.
I love doing stir fries. They are quick and easy to make. It is nice to have some kind of tamari and soy sauce in your pantry. Some other things handy for a Chinese inspired dinner are rice vinegar, sweet chili sauce, black bean sauce and of course garlic and ginger are a must. I always have all of these ingredients in my pantry so I can make any dish on a whim.
I started by broiling cauliflower florets with a bit of oil and tamari. This gave the vegetable a sweet nuttiness and a great golden brown color. I then whipped up a simple sauce with black bean sauce, tamari, rice vinegar and sweet chili sauce.
The dish is very simple, yet quite sophisticated. I loved the sweet cauliflower with the sweet scallops. The two textures are similar yet very different. I sliced the scallops in half and got more bang for my buck. Be careful not to over cook the scallops- it will spoil the dish.
I made fabulous brown rice and served the stir fry on top. Big success- it was low fat with very big flavor. Exactly what I am looking for.
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Preheat oven to broil.
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Add the cauliflower on to the cookies sheet. Add the soy sauce and oil, mix well and broil till golden brown. Keep aside.
- ½ pound scallops, cleaned and sliced in half
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons black bean sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Mix well in a bowl and keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
- 1 medium white onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
In a wok like saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes on medium high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes on medium high heat. Add the scallops and sauté for a minute (careful not to break them). Add the cauliflower and the sauce. Mix well and serve with brown rice.
Achari Gobi Aaloo- Cauliflower and Potatoes Sauteed in Pickling Spices
As I have mentioned many times before, my darling husband loves cauliflower. To say he loves it, is an understatement. I like it as well but don’t make it often enough for him. I keep trying to explain to him that I need new ways of cooking the same vegetable if I want to post the recipe on the blog.
I found a fabulous looking head of cauliflower at the supermarket and picked it up immediately. I wasn’t sure how I was going to cook it. As I was going through my pantry, I came across some Indian condiments including spicy pickles. Most Indian pickles consist of fennel, cumin and onion seeds, etc.
I decided to use these spices in the cauliflower dish and make it with potatoes- which is the classic combination most people are familiar with.
I also used mustard and fenugreek seeds with a combination of onion, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. This is the type of dish you will find at Indian weddings in India. It’s rich, vibrant and full of flavor. It is also very appealing to the eye and did I mention delicious! The sweet cauliflower is a great complement to the flavorful spices in there.
I cannot tell you how my husband devoured this dish. He didn’t want me to share it with anyone- which I normally do since I churn so much food out of my kitchen- I like to give some away. He wanted to have it all to himself and asked me to make this dish again.
I guess its back to drawing board for me- trying to come up with new cauliflower recipes…. Enjoy- this one is a keeper.
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 3-4 white potatoes, cut into wedges
- 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon onion seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 medium white onions, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 3 inch ginger, sliced thin
- 3 serrano chilies, deseeded and sliced
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
In a large wok like pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, cumin, fennel, mustard and fenugreek seeds. Saute for a minute on high heat, or till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes on medium high heat. Add the garlic, ginger and Serrano chilies. Saute for 5-7 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the cauliflower and potatoes. Mix well and add the salt, turmeric, cayenne pepper, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well, turn the heat to low and cover and cook for 15 minutes. Take the lid off to check if the potatoes are tender. Turn the heat up and cook the excess moisture accumulated at the bottom of the pan. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes on high. Check for seasonings and add the cilantro before serving.
Keema Gobi (Ground Meat with Cauliflower)
We made this dish for a cooking class a few days ago. When I was trying to come up with a menu, I wasn’t sure if I should add this dish. It is a concoction that is not very popular amongst Indians as well as Indian restaurants. I wasn’t sure if people would be interested in learning a dish they have never heard of! This is a dish I grew up with- my Mom learned it from her Mom and now has passed it down to me and my sister-in-law. Keema is a word used for ground or minced meat in India. Typically ground goat meat is used with peas or potatoes, but I tend to use either pork or dark meat turkey. The addition of cauliflower is not typical but it is absolutely fabulous. Somehow the broken down soft cauliflower goes really well with the well seasoned ground meat. It is essentially a one pot meal and can be enjoyed with frozen naan or a vegetable rice pulao. All the people who attended the class really loved the aromatic flavor of the dry spices and the wonderful mix of the meat and the cauliflower. Overall it was a successful class!
- 1 pound ground pork (dark meat turkey can be used as well)
- 1 head of cauliflower cut into florets
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 green cardamom crushed
- ½ inch stick cinnamon
- 3-4 cloves
- 1 medium white onion minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3-4 inch piece of ginger minced
- ½ cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup cilantro for garnish
In a deep pan, heat the oil and add the bay leaf, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves.
In the meantime, mince the onion, garlic and ginger in a processor. Once the spices begin to sizzle, add the processed onion mixture. Saute on moderate heat until the mixture turns light brown. Add the crushed tomatoes and saute for another five minutes. Then add the ground meat crushing it down with a wooden spoon to separate and cook. Saute the meat with the tomato mixture for another five minutes. Add coriander powder, garam masala, cayenne pepper, turmeric and salt. Now add the cauliflower florets and cook on medium heat covered till the cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes. Take the lid off and turn the heat to high and sauté the mixture till the moisture has evaporated, about 7 to 8 minutes. Adjust seasoning, and sprinkle cilantro before serving.
