FULKOPI ALOOR DALNA

Fulkopi Aloor Dalna is the cauliflower curry with potatoes done the typical Bengali way. In our childhood this was a winter treat. In those days Cauliflower was available only during winter, it's taste incomparable. They tasted heavenly given no chemical fertilisers were used growing it. Be it made into a fry, added in a curry or made a dry preparation, the Bengalis love it all. I remember, in our home no part of a cauliflower was thrown away. The leaves were made into a paste, then cooked with sliced onions, chillies with a tempering of nigella seeds. The stems[data] were also used to prepare a yummy veggie. 

These days I don't even see leaves on them unless one is growing them in their own garden. Well, the cauliflowers that come from India has the leaves in tact on them, the price is a bit higher. I remember our maternal grandfather used to grow it in his garden during the winters. Two years back our mom grew them in pots and reserved one to cook for me when I visited. The taste was awesome.

This curry with cauliflower and potato is a regular in our home. I do it the typical Bengali way. The Bengali way of doing this curry is always to fry the salt and turmeric marinated cauliflower florets and potatoes separately before adding to the curry at different stages. You can skip that to make less use of oil. Here we get a Taiwan variety of cauliflower which tastes similar to the maternal grandfather's homegrown ones or what we get during the winters in Kolkata.

                     

INGREDIENTS :

Cauliflower : 1medium
Potato : 1big
Tomato : 1big
Ginger Paste : 1tbsp
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As Required
Sugar : 1/2tsp
Cinnamon Powder : A pinch
Green Cardamom Powder : A pinch
Cloves Powder : A pinch
Cumin Seed : A pinch
Bayleaf : 1
Ghee[clarified butter] : 1/2tsp [skip if you are a vegan]
Oil : 6-7 tbsp

METHOD :

Peel and cut the potatoes into big cubes and the cauliflowers into florets. Wash and rub with salt as required.

Boil the cauliflower florets in enough water for 5 minutes. Drain the water, marinate it with a little of salt and turmeric. Cut the tomato into pieces, discard the seeds and wash.

Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the marinated potatoes and cauliflower separately in batches. Take out.

Temper the oil with cumin seeds and bayleaf.

Add the ginger paste and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato pieces and fry for a minute. As it melts, add the cumin powder, salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp of red chilli powder. Fold in well and saute for half a minute.

Add the fried potato pieces, fold in well and stir for a minute. Add 1 cup of water. Cover cook for 3-4 minutes at low heat.

Remove the cover, add the fried cauliflower pieces and let cook at low heat for 3 minutes.

Add the  sugar, cinnamon powder, green cardamom powder, cloves powder. Fold in well and cook for a minute. Add the ghee, stir well. It is done.

Enjoy the curry with steamed rice or chapati.