Gobi Matar / Cauliflower and green Peas Curry

Last week-end, my husband was craving gobi matar which is cauliflower and green peas curry.

Instead of the green peas, I used green beans since I didn’t have green peas in the fridge and it was as delicious 🙂

If you have the base spices used in Indian cooking, this recipe is very easy and takes about 30 min. I used the Gobi Matar recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor as guide line.

Ingredients

Cauliflower: 1 medium, separated into florets

Green beans: 1 cup

Tomato: 1/2 medium, chopped

Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon

Ginger paste: 1 teaspoon

Garlic: 1 head, chopped

Coriander powder: 2 teaspoon

Red Chili powder: up to 1/2 teaspoon (I only put some using the head of my knife since I don’t like when it is spicy)

Turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon

Garan masala: 1 teaspoon

 

Method

Heat some olive oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Once they start changing color, add the garlic and ginger paste and sauted for hald a minute. You will start smelling the ginger.

Add coriander powder, turmeric powder and red chilli powder and sauted for another half a minute.

Add the chopped tomato and cook until it becomes mushy.

Add cauliflower, green beans and 1 cup water. Salt and mix well.

Cook for about 8 to 10 min. Add the Garam masala, mix and cook for another 8 to 10 min.

You can garnish with fresh coriander leaves and eat with roti or paratha.

 

Carrot, cauliflower and cumin soup

As I was looking for a simple carrot soup recipe, I discovered that I could add cauliflower and cumin for a great tasty winter soup. We had this soup as snow storms are still kicking in the city, together with …

My 2013 Cooking Challenge

Here is my new project for 2013!

I want to find more time to cook or at least finally try and discover some recipes that I have heard of, never tried before or simply as “bring the childhood recipes back into my life”.

I will not necessarily do the list in this order, it is just how it came up.
The goal would be to do one recipe every month for the rest of the year.

My 2013 Cooking Challenge

1. Rhubarb and Strawberry Jam (or in-season fruits)
2. Duck confit Garbure Soup
3. S’mores
4. Cheese Souffle / Souffle au fromage
5. Risotto
6. Indian seasonal vegetable dish
7. Savory Crepes
8. Chocolate recipe from the book “Atelier Chocolat”
9. Cupcakes
10. Gulab Jamun

Details & Explanations

1. Rhubarb and Strawberry Jam (or any in-season fruit) – when I was in France the year before moving back to the U.S., me and my best friend Claire spent a few winter Sunday afternoons making jam in my parents kitchen. I discovered and learned from her and love home made jams 🙂

2. Duck confit Garbure Soup – this a traditional soup from Bearn in South West of France. My grand-mother used to do it, it is delicious and a perfect winter healthy meal.

3. S’mores – my friend Ellie mentioned it recently and was “amazed” that I had no idea on what she was talking about… the very next day, I found this blog post on the same subject… the signs were obvious, we thus have a date for a “S’mores” diner. It will certainly be the first item to be completed on this list!

4. Cheese Souffle / Souffle au fromage – My mom used to make this dish when I was a kid and I have great memories of it. It is not easy to make but I want to try so that my husband can taste it!

5. Risotto – it might seem silly but I have never cooked a risotto before, and it time to start!

6. Indian seasonal vegetable dish – I want to become more comfortable in cooking Indian food and for that I need to try, even though it will take me some time at the beginning, especially on weekdays once I am back from work…

7. Savory Crepes – my husband has been asking for home made Crepes, since we got back from Brittany and had the most delicious Crepes on earth in Carantec. I’m serious: it is really the best place I have ever eaten Crepes.

8. Chocolate recipe from “Atelier Chocolat” – a book that my brother and his girlfriend gifted me for Christmas. It seems complicated or at least that is in my mind but it doesn’t seem that hard when reading it. I just need to do it!

9. Cupcakes – since this list has French and Indian cooking, I thought I needed to have something from here as well. I already tried with success pancakes (see my post here ) and thought that the next on the list would be cupcakes 🙂

10. Gulab Jamun – this is my favorite Indian sweet (with Jellabys) and this week-end, my husband’s cousin was telling me how to make them. A must try!

Let me know your thoughts about the challenge, about one of the item/recipe and any help/suggestion or encouragement will be helpful!

Thanks and happy blogging!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures Credit:

http://www.owlhaven.net/2008/06/10/strawberry-rhubarb-jam/

http://www.52kitchenadventures.com/2012/05/02/gluten-free-cupcakes-with-nutella-cloud-frosting/

http://www.france-voyage.com/travel-guide/photo-garbure-1381_2.htm

http://www.phamfatale.com/id_1625/title_Galette-Complete-Savory-Crepe-Recipe/

http://nutritionfor.us/2012/07/butternut-squash-risotto-recipe/

http://cooksjoy.com/blog/2012/11/gulab-jamun-milk-powder-method.html

http://www.lacuisinedebernard.com/2011/03/le-souffle-au-fromage.html

http://littleindiana.com/2012/07/4-smores-themed-recipes-you-can-really-sink-your-teeth-into/

http://palakkadcooking.blogspot.com/2012/11/aloo-gobi.html

Aloo Bartha

As I am learning more and more Indian dishes, I tried for the first time to cook Aloo Bartha – or vegetable dish based of potatoes.

I am starting to get better at Indian cooking – apprehending the spices and base ingredients.
Maybe I haven’t made enough to discover the variety or I am just starting with the basics and getting better at it.
At least I can host my friends with basic Indian cooking and they love it.
That’s a good sign, isn’t it?

Alloo Bartha – potato vegetable dish

Put in a pan:
Some olive oil or 2 table spoon of ghee
1 tea spoon of cumin seeds (Jeera)
1 Tomato or 2 tomatoes depending on their size or tomato paste
Green chili
Ginger

Let it cook until all water is gone.

Add salt, coriander powder, red chili, a little bit of tamarin powder.
Let paste cook for 2 more minutes.

Add 1 table spoon of yoghurt.

Let it cook for 2 minutes till the oil separate out.

Add boiled potatoes.

Mix everything & add water 1.5 cup.

Add fresh coriander.

Let it boil & reduce the flame once it’s boiling, cover & let cook for 10 min, until you can see the layer of oil separating.

You can serve that as a side dish or eat with roti or bread.

When I cooked it, I made it as main dish with bread and had also a salad to go with it.