aloo phulkopir dalna recipe with step by step pics. aloo phulkopir dalna is a gem of a dish from the bengali cuisine – spiced with complex flavors and awesome with some luchi or pooris.
here potatoes and cauliflower are cooked to perfection in a tomato and spices based gravy. the tanginess of the tomatoes complements the robust aroma of the spices well. the recipe is also made without onions and garlic.
aloo phulkopir dalna is amongst the many recipes that are made during durga pooja festivities. this aloo phulkopir dalna recipe is an elaborate version and apt to make during festivals or a special occasion. so making this recipe does take some time but worth it. for the recipe i referred to the various cookbooks i have.
aloo phulkopir dalna is very different in taste than the north indian version of aloo gobi. if you like aloo gobi, then you will also like aloo phulkopir dalna.
a few more bengali recipes i have already shared are dum aloo, rasgulla, sandesh, aloo posto, aloo phulkopir singara and narkel naru recipe.
aloo phulkopir dalna recipe below:
aloo phulkopir dalna recipe
ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
for ginger+green chilli paste
- 2 green chilies or 2 teaspoon green chilies
- 2 inch ginger OR 7 grams ginger OR 2 teaspoon
- 3 to 4 teaspoon water for grinding
main ingredients for aloo phulkopir dalna
- 260 grams cauliflower OR 1 small to medium cauliflower OR 2.5 to 2.75 cups cauliflower florets
- ½ teaspoon salt
- enough hot water for soaking cauliflower florets
- 300 grams potatoes OR 2 cups chopped potatoes OR 3 to 4 medium potatoes
- 5 tablespoons mustard oil (sarson ka tel)
- 2 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 150 grams tomatoes OR 2 medium tomatoes OR ¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
- ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder (jeera powder)
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder (dhania powder)
- ½ cup water to be added later
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- salt as required
- 1 teaspoon ghee
for bengali garam masala
- 2 green cardamoms (choti elaichi)
- 2 inch cinnamon - if using cassia then use 1 inch
- 3 to 4 cloves (lavang)
how to make aloo phulkopir dalna recipe
preparation for aloo phulkopir dalna
break 1 small to medium cauliflower in medium sized florets and then rinse them very well. you will need 2.5 to 2.75 cups of the florets. take the florets in a large pan or bowl. add ½ teaspoon salt.
then pour hot water as required and let the florets get blanched for 5 to 10 minutes.
later drain all the water and keep the cauliflower aside. do drain well or else the oil will splutter when the cauliflower florets are fried.
meanwhile when the florets are getting blanched, in a dry grinder or coffee grinder take 2 green cardamoms, 2 inch cinnamon and 3 to 4 cloves. if using cassia then use 1 inch of it.
grind to a fine powder. remove the cardamom husks before grinding. you can also crush these spices in a mortar-pestle. remove the masala and keep aside.
in the same grinder add 1 inch ginger and 2 green chilies.
add 3 to 4 teaspoon water and grind to a smooth paste. you can also crush ginger & green chilies in a mortar-pestle. keep aside.
frying cauliflower and potatoes
on a low to medium flame heat 5 tablespoons mustard oil in a kadai or pan and let it come to its smoking point. though i prefer mustard oil, but you can use any other oil.
reduce the flame and then add the cauliflower florets.
mix well and begin to fry the florets on a medium-low to medium flame. fry them in batches.
so when the cauliflower florets are getting fried, you can finely chop 2 medium tomatoes and 3 to 4 medium potatoes. you will need ¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes and 2 cups chopped potatoes.
fry the cauliflower stirring often for even cooking.
fry till you see golden spots on the cauliflower. you just need to fry them till they are almost cooked.
with a slotted spoon remove the ones which are done and place them on kitchen paper towels.
after finishing frying cauliflower, add the potatoes.
stirring them often fry for even cooking.
fry till you see golden spots on the edges and the potatoes are almost cooked.
remove with a slotted spoon. place on kitchen paper towels.
making aloo phulkopir dalna
now in the same pan add 2 small to medium tej patta and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. saute till the cumin seeds crackle. some oil will be left in the pan, so no need to add more oil.
then add finely chopped tomatoes.
add the ground ginger+green chilly paste.
mix very well and saute this mixture on a low to medium flame.
saute till the tomatoes become pulpy and you see some oil releasing from the sides.
then add the following spice powders - ¼ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder and 2 teaspoons coriander powder.
mix very well. then add 1 teaspoon sugar
next add salt as required. add ½ cup water and mix again.
now add the fried cauliflower florets and potatoes. stir gently.
cover the pan with a lid and simmer the gravy for 7 to 8 minutes on a low to low-medium flame.
do check in between and if the curry looks dry then you can add some water.
after 7 to 8 minutes the gravy will thicken and the cauliflower and potatoes will be cooked.
now add the ground masala of cloves, cinnamon and cardamoms. mix well.
then add 1 teaspoon ghee. mix well and switch off the flame.
serve aloo phulkopir dalna recipe with luchi, pooris, chapatis, parathas or steamed rice.
recipe notes
- add water as required.
- you can skip grinding the whole spices if you have bengali garam masala. then just add ½ teaspoon of bengali garam masala.Â
- you can add more ghee if you want.
- instead of mustard oil you can use any other oil.Â
- you can also add some steamed green peas in the curry.
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how to make bengali aloo phulkopir dalna recipe:
preparation:
1. break 1 small to medium cauliflower in medium sized florets and then rinse them very well. you will need 2.5 to 2.75 cups of the florets. take the florets in a large pan or bowl. add ½ teaspoon salt.
2. then pour hot water as required and let the florets get blanched for 5 to 10 minutes. this blanching step can be skipped if there are no insects or worms in the cauliflower. i always blanch cauliflower when making any dish with it.
3. later drain all the water and keep the cauliflower aside. do drain well or else the oil will splutter when the cauliflower florets are fried.
4. meanwhile when the florets are getting blanched, in a dry grinder or coffee grinder take 2 green cardamoms, 2 inch cinnamon and 3 to 4 cloves. if using cassia then use 1 inch of it.
5. grind to a fine powder. remove the cardamom husks before grinding. you can also crush these spices in a mortar-pestle. remove the masala and keep aside.
6. in the same grinder add 1 inch ginger (chopped) and 2 green chilies (chopped).
7. add 3 to 4 teaspoon water and grind to a smooth paste. you can also crush ginger & green chilies in a mortar-pestle. keep aside.
8. on a low to medium flame heat 5 tablespoons mustard oil in a kadai or pan and let it come to its smoking point. though i prefer mustard oil, but you can use any other oil.
9. reduce the flame and then add the cauliflower florets.
10. mix well and begin to fry the florets on a medium-low to medium flame. fry them in batches.
11. so when the cauliflower florets are getting fried, you can finely chop 2 medium tomatoes and 3 to 4 medium potatoes. you will need ¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes and 2 cups chopped potatoes. instead of chopped tomatoes, you can also use tomato puree.
12. fry the cauliflower stirring often for even cooking.
13. fry till you see golden spots on the cauliflower. you just need to fry them till they are almost cooked.
14. with a slotted spoon remove the ones which are done and place them on kitchen paper towels.
15. after finishing frying cauliflower, add the potatoes.
16. stirring them often fry for even cooking.
17. fry till you see golden spots on the edges and the potatoes are almost cooked.
18. remove with a slotted spoon.
19. place on kitchen paper towels.
20. now in the same pan add 2 small to medium tej patta and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. saute till the cumin seeds crackle. some oil will be left in the pan, so no need to add more oil.
21. then add finely chopped tomatoes.
22. add the ground ginger+green chilly paste.
23. mix very well and saute this mixture on a low to medium flame.
24. saute till the tomatoes become pulpy and you see some oil releasing from the sides.
25. then add the following spice powders – ¼ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder and 2 teaspoons coriander powder.
26. mix very well.
27. then add 1 teaspoon sugar.
28. next add salt as required.
29. add ½ cup water and mix again.
30. now add the fried cauliflower florets and potatoes.
31. stir gently.
32. cover the pan with a lid and simmer the gravy for 7 to 8 minutes on a low to medium-low flame.
33. do check in between and if the curry looks dry then you can add some more water.
34. after 7 to 8 minutes the gravy will thicken and the cauliflower and potatoes will be cooked.
35. now add the ground masala of cloves, cinnamon and cardamoms.
36. mix well.
37. then add 1 teaspoon ghee. you can also add more ghee if you want.
38. mix well and switch off the flame.
39. serve aloo phulkopir dalna recipe with luchi, pooris, chapatis, parathas or steamed rice or motor shutir kochuri.
I would like to drop in a suggestion for the layout of your website……only 2 recent posts get displayed and then only recipe collection is what we get to explore…if a person misses out to visit your blog for a few days, there is no tab or link provided to access your recent posts except the last two…thats a big drawback…your work does not reach all…if we miss on a post means its gone…and one cannot always explore the complete recipe index to look for the new additions…please work on this.
Thanks Nikita for your suggestion and feedback. We will think about it.