Cauliflower with Carrots and Peas

Cauliflower with carrots and peas, Cherry tomato salad, Fresh yogurt, Simple Dal, Roti with ghee

Another everyday vegetable that cooks quickly and is a wonderful accompaniment with a myriad of other dishes! Serve with rice or roti (a whole grain flat bread also known as chapati), some dal/bean dish and/or some plain yogurt to provide a nutritious meal. It makes a wonderful veggie wrap rolled up in a Chapati or Whole Wheat Tortilla with a little Cheddar, Jack, Parmesan, or Goatmilk cheese.

Dals are split and skinned dry beans. In addition to being used as main ingredients in many dishes they are also used toasted in the Tadka/Talippu to add a nutty taste and slight crunch in South Indian Cuisine. Urad dal and Chana dal are the traditional dals used in Tadka. Urad dal is creamy white and looks a little like short grain rice; the Chana dal looks like yellow split peas. If these are unavailable, go ahead and make the dish without them since split peas do not make very satisfactory substitutes.

4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 Small Cauliflower

2 Carrots

1 cup Peas, fresh or frozen

1 tsp Salt or to taste

1/2 tsp ground Turmeric

Tadka/Thalippu:

1 or 2 Tsp Oil

1/2 tsp Brown Mustard Seeds

1 Tbsp Urad dal

1 dry Red Chili

1 pinch Asafoetida

1 sprig Fresh Curry Leaves

Method:

Wash the cauliflower and carrots and cut into bite sized pieces.

Heat the oil in a skillet or wok with the mustard seeds, urad dal and red chile. Cover and cook until the mustard seeds finish dancing. Stir in asafoetida and add the curry leaves and cover quickly to avoid hot oil from splashing. Add the cauliflower and carrots and cook covered stirring occasionally until the veggies are just tender (15 to 20 minutes at most). Stir in the peas and cook stirring until warmed through. Serve hot or at room temperature with rice, roti and a dal dish such as simple dal. Enjoy!!

Variations: Cumin seeds (1/2 tsp whole or crushed) make a fine addition to the Tadka. A hot green chili can be used instead of the dry red chili. If using a green chili add it along with the onions or veggies. A finely chopped onion may be stirred into the tadka and cooked until onions are soft before adding the veggies. Potato cubes are a great addition and should be added first and cooked for 10 minutes before adding the rest of the veggies. When adding onions and potatoes the salt and chilies may be increased to suit your taste.