Time: 30-40 minutes to prepare
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
3 cups basmati rice
4 1/2 cups water
2 three-inch diameter potatoes, cut into small chunks
Spice Paste:
1 Tbsp mustard seeds
3 med cloves garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh ginger (slice into thin rounds to break up the strings)
1/2 c lightly toasted peanuts
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cloves or allspice
2 Tbsp toasted cumin seeds
1-2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 c water (more, as needed)
1/2 c shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)
1-2 Tbsp peanut oil
1 1/2 c chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1 large cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 med carrot, thinly sliced
Optional: 1 c cooked chick peas
3-4 Tbsp lemon juice
Condiments:
Lemon or orange slices
Toasted nuts
Toasted coconut
Raisins
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced cucumbers
Thin strips of bell pepper
Raita (recipe below)
Raita:
2 c yogurt
1 t cumin seeds
salt and cayenne, to taste
Optional: 1 small cucumber (peeled, seeded, grated), 1 small ripe tomato (diced), 1/4 c finely minced onion, 1/2 c finely minced bell pepper, 1/2 t fennel seeds
Directions
1. Begin cooking the rice with the water. Boil the potatoes until just tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Place the spice paste ingredients in a blender and puree until fairly homogeneous. Add extra water as needed to form a soft workable paste.
3. Heat oil in skillet and add onion and salt. Saute for 5 minutes over medium heat, then add cauliflower and carrot and mix well. Cover and cook about 10 minutes, then add the paste. Mix well. Cook, covered, over low heat until the cauliflower is tender, stirring every few minutes. Add more water, if necessary, to prevent sticking.
4. Add potatoes, chickpeas, and lemon juice, and cook a few more minutes. Taste to adjust salt, and serve hot, with rice and condiments.
Yes, I know that long list of ingredients is a little intimidating, but honestly, it didn't take me that long to make and is definitely worthy of dinner guests. Or just a night at home that you want something tasty to eat. Those ingredients are all pretty affordable here and I would guess at home. I (of course) had to adjust the recipe a little bit- shredded sweetened coconut, ground cumin, no sesame seeds, sesame oil, no chickpeas. For the Raita, I used natural yogurt (has a different flavor) and included the cucumber, tomato, and onion. The Raita, by the way, is key. So tasty. For condiments, I used everything but the lemon slices and raisins.
Someone please make this and let me know how much you enjoyed it! I'm bursting!
