Cauliflower Potato fry - Phulkopi Aloo Bhaja

This recipe is a fried stuff with one of my favourite vegetable – Cauliflower. I like it because it is one of the healthiest vegetable. Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B6. It is a very good source of choline, dietary fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, manganese, phosphorus, and biotin. Additionally, it is a good source of vitamin B2, protein, vitamin B1, niacin, and magnesium. In Bengali cuisine often we use it in different forms in winter times. But now-a-days in big cities like Bangalore it is available round the year. This one is a simple way to fry cauliflower and potato in a healthy way. It consumes less oil and nutrition is kept inside the preparation.

Preparation Time: - 15 min

Cooking Time: - 30 min

Servings: - 5 persons

Ingredients:-

1. 1 medium sized Cauliflower - Phulkopi
2. 4 Potatoes
3. 1 tsp whole jeera / kalonji seeds
4. Handful of Peas (optional).
5. 1 medium size onion chopped (optional)
6. 2 green chili slit horizontally
7. 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
8. Salt to taste
9. 1 tsp sugar (optional)
10. 3 tbsp mustard + 3 tbsp vegetable oil ( I used Mustard oil and this makes it authentic Bengali style but you can use totally vegetable oil also)
11. 1 tsp Coriander powder (optional)
12. 1 tsp Garam Masala (optional)

Preparation:-

1. Cut the cauliflower into small florets, wash thoroughly in warm water and keep aside. In Bangalore if you buy  from supermarket you need to wash every vegetable really well for hygiene purpose.
   
   
   
   
2. Chop the onion and cut potatoes into thin strips, wash thoroughly and keep aside.
   
3. Take a Kadai and pour the oil. Heat in high flame and add whole jeera and one green chilli. People who have inclination can add red chilli here. You can use kalonji seeds or black jeera but I prefer whole jeera for cauliflower fries.
   
4. Fry in medium heat till it crackles in oil
5. Add chopped onion – fry till it turns golden brown
   
6. Put the cauliflower pieces. Stir  and cook for 2 min
   
7. Now add potato strips and green peas.
   
8. Stir and fry on a medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until they turn light brown.
9. Add salt, turmeric powder and the remaining green chilli. Optionally you can add coriander powder here.
   
10. Bring to a simmer and add sugar if you are sweet tooth like most Bengalis.
11. Cover, set the burner in low and let it cook for 8~10 minutes or until it is tender.
12. Before turning the heat off add garam Masala and stir a little
    

This one is a side dish for rice or roti / Luchi. It goes with Khichdi also.

Please note:-

1. If you want the dish to be pure vegetarian then you can skip onion.
2. You can avoid sugar if you have any issue with it.
3. If you find the cauliflower is hard and not becoming tender then you can sprinkle little water and continue cooking. Otherwise you will need more oil which is not so healthy.
4. Since this is a fried item you can use Olive oil as it spreads well so that the amount required is less.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.