Cauliflower Posto, Cauliflower In Poppy Seed-Mustard Gravy

          Both the daughter and I like Bengali food, we love their dum aloo, kachoris and their vegetable curries in mustard gravies. Previously I used to use regular vegetable or sunflower oil instead of mustard oil, but recently I had bought a bottle of mustard oil and I am using it to make these Bengali style curries. Now, not everybody would love mustard oil, even my husband is not a big fan of it, sometimes I mix regular oil and mustard oil, so as to keep down the flavor a little. Now, coming to today's curry, we cook the cauliflower in a mustard-poppy seeds and cashew paste and milk. The curry tastes delicious with both rice and rotis, do give it a shot if you want to try out some Bengali food at home..

Need To Have

• Cauliflower - 1 medium, broken into medium size florets
• Mustard Oil - 2 to 3 teaspoons
• Kalonji Seeds/Onion Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Milk - 1 cup 
• Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
• Sugar - 1 teaspoon

To Grind

• Poppy Seeds - 1 tablespoon
• Yellow Mustard Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Cashews - 7 or 8
• Green Chillies - 2
• Milk - 4 tablespoons

Method

          Wash and cook the cauliflower florets in boiling water, remove and keep. Soak the poppy seeds, mustard seeds and cashews in 2 tablespoons of milk for at least 30 minutes, then grind them with the green chillies and the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk and keep.

           Heat the mustard oil, add the kalonji seeds, when it starts sizzling, add the cauliflower and mix for a couple of minutes.

          Now add the ground paste and mix, then add milk, salt and sugar and cook covered for 5 to 7 minutes on low-medium heat till done. Remove and serve it warm with rotis or rice.

Other Bengali recipes..

Cholar Dal, Bengali Style Chana Dal
Potol Posto, Parwal/Pointed Gourd In Poppy Seed Paste
Potato And Bitter Gourd Fry
Cauliflower And Peas In Mustard Gravy
Radhaballabhi/Dal Stuffed Pooris
Aloor Dum
Bengali Green Peas Kachori
Dum Aloo With Coconut Milk

Note
You can double the poppy seeds and mustard seeds, I have kept it down, because I am not used to using so much of poppy seeds and the mustard seed flavor would be very strong if added more, which once again, we are not used to.
This curry has a thin gravy, but if you want a thick gravy, then increase the poppy seeds or cashews or if you like, the mustard seeds or you can also add a little coconut when making the paste.
Mustard Oil is an acquired taste, so if you don't like it, then use regular oil.

Palakottai Mangai Curry, Jackfruit Seeds And Mango Curry

          The next dish that I tried this time with the bag of Palakottai/Jackfruit Seeds that I bought was this  Palakottai Mangai Curry/ Jackfruit Seeds And Raw Mango Curry. Both mangoes and jackfruits are in season around the same time and this is a very tasty dish to try out with it. The coconut paste and the coconut oil used in the curry gives a wonderful flavor to the curry and it goes very well with rice along with some spicy vegetable curry..

Need To Have

• Palakottai/Jackfruit Seeds - 20 - 22
• Raw Mango Pieces - 1 cup
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Green Chilly - 1
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Shallots/Small Onions - 5, chopped
• Curry Leaves - 10
• Salt to taste
• Coconut Oil - 1 to 2 teaspoons

To Grind

• Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Dried Red Chillies - 3
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Garlic - 3 cloves

Original Recipe here.

Method

          I have shown the jackfruit seeds in the picture, you can either peel them whole, or cut into two, peel the outer tough white skin, then you can either use it with the brown skin or peel that also, boil the seeds in water for 5 to 7 minutes, then you can scrap the brown skin easily. For this dish, I have scrapped the outer brown skin too.

          Cook the jackfruit seeds, mango pieces along with green chilly, turmeric powder, salt and some water.

          Grind together all the ingredients given under 'to grind ' into a fine paste. Once the seeds are cooked, add the ground paste and some more water and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes and when the curry has come to a medium-thick pouring consistency.

          Heat the coconut oil, add the mustard seeds, when it starts sputtering, add the chopped shallots and saute till they turn translucent, then add the curry leaves, mix and add this to the cooked curry. Serve it with some plain rice along with some spicy curry and pappads.

Other dishes with Jackfruit Seeds..
Murungakkai Palakottai Sambar, Drumstick Jackfruit Seeds Sambar
Palakottai Varuval, Jackfruit Seeds Curry
Palakottai Vadai, Jackfruit Seeds Vada/Fritters

Note
Cut the mango into big pieces.
Make the curry as thick or thin as you want.

Badanekai Yennegai, Karnataka Style Stuffed Eggplant Curry

          Jowar Roti With Badanekai Yennegai ( Stuffed Eggplant Curry ), ever since I came to know about this combination, I was waiting to make it. Why waiting, when I could have made it the very next day, well, I wanted to taste the combo at a restaurant serving traditional Kannadiga food, and then try it at home. But that didn't work out, so finally, I gave in and made it at home. With so many wonderful blogs out there, featuring Kannadiga dishes. actually that was not difficult. The curry turned out absolutely delicious and it tasted awesome with the Jowar rotis. I already have two versions of Stuffed Eggplant Curry in my blog, version 1 and version 2, and now this one is yet another and each one is tasty in its own way. Coming back to today's post, if you have not yet tried this combo, do try it and I am sure you'll love it, but if you can't make jowar rotis, then you can still have it with some plain rice and it's equally delicious..

Need To Have

• Small Purple Brinjals/Eggplant/Kathrikkai - 8
• Onion - 1 medium, chopped finely
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1/2 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 15
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

To Roast And Grind

• Coriander Seeds - 4 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 2 teaspoons
• Raw Peanuts - 2 tablespoons
• Cinnamon - 1" piece
• Cloves - 5
• Byadgi Chillies - 6
• Regular Dried Red Chillies - 2
• Sesame Seeds - 2 teaspoons
• Onion - 1 medium, roughly chopped
• Grated Coconut - 3/4 cup
• Jaggery - 1 teaspoon
• Tamarind - 2 blueberry sized balls

Original Recipe here.

Method

          First let's make the stuffing. Roast the peanuts, remove and keep. Heat a little oil, add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, both the chillies, roast, towards the end, add the sesame seeds, mix, remove and keep. Heat some more oil, add the onion, saute till it turns pink, switch off, add the coconut, mix and remove.

          Let all the roasted ingredients to cool, then grind them all together with tamarind and jaggery, adding as little water as possible into a thick mixture.

          Now, wash the brinjals, then slit them as shown. Stuff them with the ground mixture, without breaking them, you'll have some mixture left.

          Heat some oil, add the mustard seeds, when it starts sputtering, add the asafoetida, followed by the curry leaves and the chopped onion and saute till it turns translucent. Now add the stuffed eggplants and saute them carefully for about 5 minutes, till they change color.

          Now add the leftover ground mixture along with about 2 cups of water, turmeric powder and salt, cover and cook on low heat, till the eggplants are done, for about 20 to 25 minutes, keep turning the eggplants carefully at intervals. You should see the oil floating on the top like in the picture. Remove and enjoy with the jowar rotis or rice..

Note
Byadgi chillies are a variety of dried red chillies, they have crinkled appearance and are less spicy and used widely in Kannadiga cuisine and they give a bright red color to the dish.
Adjust the water added according to how thick or thin you want the curry.