April 09 Cooking Contest: Spinach Cauliflower Duet by Malspie

[malspie]

Hi Folks,

Spinach or Palak is successfully paired with Pasta, Cheese, Alu (Potato) and Paneer (Cottage Cheese)!

After he met Cauliflower, he has decided to stay with her forever! Try it out to believe it!

I am posting the recipe step by step, so sakhis refrain from posting feedback till I finish cooking the duet!

Your cooperation is highly appreciated.

PALAK CAULIFLOWER DUET

INGREDIENTS REQUIRED:

1 bunch spinach (Palak)
1 small size Cauliflower (Phool Gobi)
2 Tomatoes (Tamatar)
1 Medium Sized Onion (Pyaaz)
1” long Ginger (Adhrak)
3 Green Chillies (Hari Mirch) (depends on your spice palate)
1 tsp Jeera (Cumin Seeds)
1 Clove (Lavang)
3 pods of Garlic (Lasan)
A Pinch of Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
4 strings of Coriander Leaves (Dhaniya)
1 tsp Garam Masala (A readymade spice available in market)
2 tbsp of oil


[SIZE="2"][COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="2"]

[malspie]

Picture of Palak or Spinach

(For those who do not understand the ingredients)

http://www.naarisakhi.com/forumimages/spinach1.jpg

[malspie]

Friends,

Here I am putting up the picture of Cauliflower or Phoolgobi


http://www.naarisakhi.com/forumimages/spinach2.jpg

[malspie]

First Step:

Cauliflower is to be diced in to florets washed and kept aside. Boil a mixture of water, ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder and salt. Add cauliflower florets and half cook it. Put off the gas and drain the water out. Keep the florets aside.

Picture of Cauliflower diced in to florets


http://www.naarisakhi.com/forumimages/spinach3.jpg

[malspie]

[COLOR="Indigo"][B]Take bunch of Spinach and separate stems from leaves by cutting the stem portion out. Wash the leaves and stem separately and keep aside.

[malspie]

Picture of the separted Palak leaves and Stems

http://www.naarisakhi.com/forumimages/spinach4.jpg

http://www.naarisakhi.com/forumimages/spinach5.jpg

[malspie]

Wash the tomatoes and dice them in to four halves each, deseed them and then dice them in to medium sized pieces. Keep aside.

Picture of deseeded and diced tomatoes


http://www.naarisakhi.com/forumimages/spinach6.jpg

[malspie]

Wash ginger and peel the skin off. Dice it in to small pieces and keep aside.

Wash Green Chillies and break it in to two halves. Keep aside.

Peel garlic and keep aside.

Wash the strings of coriander leaves and chop them finely. Keep it aside.

Take Oil in a small cup and keep aside.

Take a medium sized onion and dice in to medium sized pieces. Boil water in a small bowl and throw the diced onions in it. They will start turning pink. Put off the gas. Strain the water in a bowl and keep the diced onions aside.

Pictures of the above spices and ingredients arranged in a plate.

http://www.naarisakhi.com/forumimages/spinach7.jpg

http://www.naarisakhi.com/forumimages/spinach8.jpg

http://www.naarisakhi.com/forumimages/spinach9.jpg

[malspie]

The stem portion of the spinach is to be washed and cut in to very small pieces. Keep it aside.

Picture of palak stem cut in to small pieces


http://www.naarisakhi.com/forumimages/spinach1.jpg

[malspie]

Second Step

In a pan add water and let it boil. Add the washed spinach leaves and cook for 10 minutes. Drain away the water and keep cooked spinach leaves aside.

Third Step

In a mixer jar add jeera, garlic, ginger, green chillies, lavang, pinch of haldi powder, garam masala powder, onions and grind to a smooth paste. Remove and Keep aside.

Run the mixer for 10 seconds to smash the spinach leaves.

[malspie]

Fourth Step

Heat oil in a pan and sauté the grounded spices (mixture of jeera, garlic, onion etc.) along with lavang. Then add the finely diced Spinach stems and sauté for two minutes. Now add deseeded tomatoes and cauliflower florets, sauté for another minute on medium flame. Sauté well taking care that you do not break the tomatoes or cauliflower florets. Add spinach leaves and salt to taste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on low flame. In case, you want thinner gravy, you can add the strained water of boiled onion part by part.

Put off the gas and garnish it with coriander leaves.


Picture of Palak Cauliflower Duet – Ready to serve!

Do not miss the tomatoes and cauliflower popping their heads out.

Palak Cauliflower Duet can be had with steaming hot rotis, naan, or plain parathas. Sum it up with a tall glass of cold Butter milk.

If you make the gravy thinner, you can compliment it with steamed rice, papad and achar!


NOTE: IT IS VERY EASY TO COOK THIS DISH IF YOU HAVE YOUR FIRST STEP READY!



http://www.naarisakhi.com/forumimages/spinach11.jpg

[anandchitra]

Mals
Very nice recipe. Love your step by step method so well explained. Even the stems were put to good use. Also looks like you can cut well. Great posting:)

[malspie]

Hi AC,

I like to do things methodically. It is my nature!

[sabmeh]

Mals, I knew you would come up with something different. Liked the way you have presented the recipe.

[dr.jyoti gupta]

Dear mals,i kept smiling through out the recipie.the way u have presented with pic.reminded me that the way cyou arranged the chairs in your room.neat and clean.keep the spirits always high!really loved it!

[banishapa]

Mals, good step by step presentation of the recipe for dummies like me.

[nellydisa]

Mals, good recipe and good presentation too.

[sunkan]

something different mals and they look tempting too,,,will try dear and let u know..sunkan

[malspie]

Hi Sabmeh,

Love to cook and the passion is reflected here, thats it.

[malspie]

Dear mals,i kept smiling through out the recipie.the way u have presented with pic.reminded me that the way cyou arranged the chairs in your room.neat and clean.keep the spirits always high!really loved it!

Jyothi Yaar,

Yeah, I am a real bore to live with, I have too many strict rules which i also follow diligently!

[malspie]

Hey Bani Sweetie,

Do not call yourself a 'dummy' babes.


In the ocean of recipes, I too do not know a thousands of them, a simple narration always helps me to try it out. The same approach has been tried here.

For all those who do not have experience in the cooking department, I think this should help them out.

Love buddy.

[malspie]

Hi Nellydisa,

Thanks for the compliment. Do try it out, it tastes yummy.

[malspie]

Sunkan Dearie,

A compliment from the 'KITCHEN QUEEN' is like winning a Jackpot.

Thanks buddy, do try it out.

Cauliflower and Palak make a good pair!

[shailunaipal]

mals, great presentation. You are bored to live with only for lazy n messy person.

[malspie]

Hi Shailunaipal,

I take it as a compliment and am smiling ear to ear!

Thanks.

[pannu2000]

Mals, never tried spinach with cauliflower. Sounds good.

[malspie]

Hi Pannu

Spinach and Cauliflower tastes good.

[pannu2000]

Mals, agreed, spinach and cauliflower tastes good. I gave it a shot.
Check the picture (http://www.narisakhi.com/forum/upload/showthread.php?t=400&page=5)

[banishapa]

Mals, gave shot to spinach cauliflower and I call it Mals spinach cauliflower :)
We are so much used to eating palak with heavy cream. this was healthy and tasty and not heavy
check picture (http://www.narisakhi.com/forum/upload/showthread.php?t=400&page=6)

[malspie]

Pannu,

You girls are simply genious. Spinach and Cauliflower makes a pleasant combination and tastes good too.

I just saw the picture, it is perfect with the cauli's popping neatly without getting smashed.

Great job Pannu.

[malspie]

Hi Bani,

I checked the picture, I must tell you, it has to be delicious.

Cooked up to the mark and letting the vegetables not loose their colour is the sign of a good cook.

Kudos Bani, you rock.

[banishapa]

Mals,thanks for appreciation. Usually when I make spinach it tends to loose its color. I dont know what magic thsi recipe has, color did not fade. Enjoyed eating.