Cauliflower Kurma Recipe – Tamil Nadu Restaurant Style Cauliflower Chops

Ingredients

• 1 Cauliflower (gobi) roughly chopped into smaller pieces
• 1 Tomato finely chopped
• 15 Pearl onions (Sambar Onions) finely chopped
• 4 Green Chillies finely chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic finely chopped
• 1 inch Ginger finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
• 1/4 teaspoon Cumin powder (Jeera)
• Salt to taste
• 4 teaspoons Fresh coconut finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds (Saunf)
• 2 tablespoons Cashew nuts
• 1 teaspoon Poppy seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon Coriander (Dhania) Seeds
• 1 teaspoon Roasted Gram Dal (Pottukadalai)
• 2 Dry Red Chillies
• 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
• 1 Cloves (Laung)
• 1 Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds
• 1 Star anise
• 1 Bay leaf (tej patta)
• 1 sprig Curry leaves

Steps

1. To begin making the Cauliflower Kurma recipe, soak the ingredients given under 'masala paste' in 1/4 cup of warm water for 20 minutes and then grind them to a fine paste using little water in a grinder.
2. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the chopped cauliflower and cook them for 5 minutes and turn off the heat.
3. Drain the water and set aside the cauliflower.
4. Heat a wide pan or wok over low flame with coconut oil. Add all the ingredients mentioned under ‘for tempering’.
5. Now add the grated ginger, garlic, chopped shallots, tomatoes and a pinch of salt.
6. Keep stirring till the onions turn transparent and the tomatoes mushy.
7. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of water and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
8. Now, add the boiled cauliflower and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes.
9. When the cauliflower is completely soft boiled, add the ground masala paste and salt.
10. Mix well and cook over low flame for another 5 minutes. Check the salt and seasoning and adjust according to taste.
11. Transfer the Cauliflower Kurma to a serving bowl and serve hot.
12. Serve the Cauliflower Kurma along with Kerala Style Appam, idiyappam, phulka or malabar paratha.