Cauliflower kurma recipe with step by step pics. This is an absolutely delicious recipe of cauliflower kurma with the flavors of coconut and spices. Gluten-free and vegan.
The cauliflower kurma gravy is creamy, lightly spiced and accompanies pooris, parotta, chapatis, idiyappam, neer dosa, set dosa, peas pulao, steamed rice very well.
In India, we get the best cauliflower in the Indian winter season, so it is one of the best times to make cauliflower recipes. Few delicious Cauliflower recipes i have already posted on blog are:
This cauliflower kurma recipe is from the Chettinad cuisine and inspired from the Chettinad cookbook. The kurma recipe has ingredients like fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, poppy seeds, cashews and fresh coconut. The recipe is also similar to my recipes of Vegetable kurma and Potato kurma. generally, South Indian kurma recipes are made this way with some variations, depending upon the region.
I make this cauliflower kurma on occasions. Sometimes I add red chilies and at times green chilies for the ground coconut paste. In this korma gravy recipe, I have used green chilies. You can also use dry red chilies. Using dry red chilies will give the korma an orange or red color. Apart from cauliflower, you can also add some green peas or potatoes in the kurma gravy.
How to make cauliflower kurma
A) blanching cauliflower
1. Take 2.5 to 3 cups of rinsed medium sized cauliflower florets (250 grams) in a bowl or pan. Optionally you can add ½ teaspoon salt.
2. Pour hot water as required.
3. let the cauliflower florets immerse and get blanched for 5 to 10 minutes. This blanching step can be skipped if there are no insects or worms in the cauliflower. Later drain all the water and keep the cauliflower aside.
Making masala paste
4. In a grinder jar take ½ cup fresh grated coconut.
5. Then add 2 green chilies (chopped), 1 teaspoon chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon chopped garlic. For a spicy taste, you can add 3 green chilies. Alternatively, you can use 2 dry red chilies instead of green chilies.
6. Next add 1 tablespoon roasted chana dal (roasted bengal gram), 10 to 12 cashews and 1 teaspoon poppy seeds. If you do not have roasted chana dal or poppy seeds, then skip adding them. Instead of cashews, you can also use blanched and peeled almonds.
7. Next add the following spices – ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, 1 inch cinnamon and 1 tiny piece of stone flower (optional).
8. Add ⅓ to ½ cup water and grind to a smooth consistency. Keep the kurma masala paste aside.
Making cauliflower kurma
9. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a thick bottomed pan. Keep the flame to a low and then add 1 inch cinnamon and 2 cloves.
10. Immediately add ½ teaspoon fennel seeds.
11. Fry till the spices become aromatic and splutter.
12. Then add ⅓ cup chopped onions and 8 to 10 curry leaves. Instead of curry leaves, you can also use 1 small to medium tej patta (Indian bay leaf).
13. Mix and begin to sauté.
14. Sauté the onions till they turn translucent.
15. Then add ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes.
16. Add 1 to 2 pinches of turmeric powder.
17. Mix well and begin to sauté tomatoes on a low to medium flame.
18. Sauté till the tomatoes soften and become pulpy. You should also see oil releasing from the sides of the onion-tomato mixture.
19. Now add the ground coconut paste.
20. Mix very well.
21. Keep the flame to a low or medium-low and stirring often sauté the masala.
22. Sauté masala till you see oil specks at the sides. The masala will also become glossy and clump together.
23. Then add the blanched cauliflower.
24. Mix well and sauté for a minute.
Cooking cauliflower kurma
25. Add 1.5 to 1.75 cups water.
26. Season with salt as required. Mix again.
27. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer on low to medium-low flame till the cauliflower is cooked and tender.
28. In between do check the cauliflower kurma.
29. Simmer till the cauliflower is cooked well. Do not overcook the cauliflower and make them mushy.
30. Then add 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Stir again.
31. Serve cauliflower kurma with parotta, pooris, poha idli, chapatis, appam, idiyappam or steamed rice.
Cauliflower Kurma
INGREDIENTS
for blanching cauliflower
- 250 grams cauliflower or 2.5 to 3 cups cauliflower florets
- ½ teaspoon salt - optional
- hot water as required
for ground kurma paste
- ½ cup fresh grated coconut
- 2 green chillies - chopped
- 1 inch ginger - chopped or 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 3 to 4 garlic, chopped or 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon roasted chana dal (husked, split roasted bengal gram)
- 10 to 12 cashews
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds - optional
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 tiny piece stone flower - optional
- ⅓ to ½ cup water for grinding
other ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 8 to 10 curry leaves or 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- ⅓ cup chopped onions or 1 medium onion, chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes or 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1 to 2 pinches turmeric powder
- 1.5 to 1.75 cups water or add as required
- salt as required
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
(cilantro leaves)
INSTRUCTIONS
blanching cauliflower
- Take 2.5 to 3 cups of rinsed medium sized cauliflower florets (250 grams) in a bowl or pan. Optionally you can add ½ teaspoon salt.
- Pour hot water as required and let the cauliflower florets immerse and get blanched for 5 to 10 minutes. This blanching step can be skipped if there are no insects or worms in the cauliflower.
- Later drain all the water and keep the cauliflower aside.
making masala paste
- In a grinder jar take ½ cup fresh grated coconut.
- Also add chopped green chillies, ginger and garlic.
- Then add roasted chana dal, cashews, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon and stone flower
- Add ⅓ to ½ cup water and grind to a smooth consistency. Keep the kurma masala paste aside.
making cauliflower kurma
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a thick bottomed pan. Keep the flame to a low and then add 1 inch cinnamon, 2 cloves and fennel seeds.
- Fry till the spices become aromatic and splutter.
- Then add chopped onions and curry leaves.
- Sauté the onions till they turn translucent.
- Then add chopped tomatoes and 1 to 2 pinches of turmeric powder.
- Mix well and begin to sauté tomatoes on a low to medium flame till the tomatoes soften and become pulpy.
- You should also see oil releasing from the sides of the onion-tomato mixture.
- Now add the ground coconut paste. mix very well.
- Keep the flame to a low or medium-low and stirring often sauté the masala till you see oil specks at the sides.
- The masala will also become glossy and clump together.
- Then add the blanched cauliflower. mix well and sauté for a minute.
- Add 1.5 to 1.75 cups water. season with salt as required. Mix again.
- Cover the pan with a lid and simmer on low to medium-low flame till the cauliflower is cooked and tender.
- In between do check the cauliflower kurma and stir the gravy.
- Simmer till the cauliflower is cooked well. Do not overcook the cauliflower and make them mushy.
- Then add 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Stir again.
- Serve cauliflower kurma with parotta, pooris, chapatis, appam, idiyappam or steamed rice.
NOTES
- I have used green chilies. You can also use dry red chilies. Using dry red chilies will give the korma an orange or red color.
Lovely receipe
thanks.
Perfect & super.????????????
Thanks Manoharan