Alu Kopir Torkari/ Alu Gobhi/ Kopir Dalna (Potatoes with Cauliflower Stir Fry/ Curry)

For this week’s quick recipe, I present to you Alu Kopir Torkari (Potatoes with Cauliflower Stir Fry/ Curry).

This is a simple Bengali torkari cooked almost every week during winters. In India Cauliflower is (or at least was when I was a kid) a winter vegetable available from September to March. When my mom will start cooking Cauliflower we'll know it's time to stop wearing the fashionable summer dresses and put on something warm. Winter is coming!

Jokes apart, Cauliflower is widely used in Indian cuisine for curries, sabjis (Torkaris) and pickles. Any dish prepared with Cauliflower tastes great with Luchi, Paratha, Roti or even Dal Bhat (Rice and Lentils). We can use different spices to prepare different yummy Cauliflower dishes the only thing we need to remember is the correct cooking technique.

Cauliflower tends to lose its texture and taste when over cooked and that’s why I always use a wok to prepare it. Do not use the Pressure Cooker as all that extra steam will easily over cook it. Cauliflower tastes great both as dry stir fry or curry and this recipe can be used to prepare either of them. To change it to a curry we just need to add half a cup more water and this step is done right after we add the vegetables in the spices. If you feel the spices are a little hot for your pallet, you can add a little sugar to mellow down the hot spices. 

Hmm... do you know its very common in the Bengali households to add sugar while preparing any lentils or Torkaris? My Didubhai (maternal grandmother) always used to add sugar in all the vegetables and meat and the food was just delicious. Although I loved the dishes prepared by her, personally I don’t like adding sugar in my food so I tend to exclude it from my recipes. Every calorie counts!

I will soon be uploading some more curry recipes. Till then, eat good and stay healthy.

(Photo shows: Alu Kopir Dalna with Matar Pulao)

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower - 1 medium size, cut into 1 inch florets
• Potato - 2 medium, cut into 1 inch pieces
• Tomato - 1, cut into small pieces
• Green Chilli – 1-2, slit in half
• Turmeric powder -  ¼ teaspoon
• Chilli powder -  ¼ teaspoon
• Ginger paste -  1 tablespoon
• Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Cumin powder -  1 teaspoon
• Bay Leaf - 1
• Coriander power – ½ teaspoon
• Sabji Masala – ½ teaspoon 
• Oil for frying – about half a cup
• Cilantro – a handful, chopped
• Salt – ½ teaspoon

Tip: Use Mustard Oil to cook the dish and temper with Black Cardamom as well for more flavor.

Directions: 

• Rub the Cauliflowers and Potatoes with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt.
• Heat the wok on medium- high heat.
• Pour about 2-3 tablespoons of oil in the wok. 
• Fry the Cauliflower and the Potatoes separately. Keep them aside.
• Tamper 1 tablespoon oil with Green Chili, Cumin seeds and Bay leaf.
• Now add the Ginger paste and Tomato.
• Let’s make the spice paste. Take 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Add the Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Sabji Masala, Salt and Turmeric powder and make a smooth paste. Add this to the wok. Cook for 1 minute.
• When the gravy starts boiling add the fried Cauliflower and Potatoes.
• Fry well for a couple of minutes to let the spices blend with the vegetables.
• Cover and cook over low heat for about 5-10 minutes so that the Potatoes are well cooked.
• Garnish with Cilantro.
• Serve with Luchi or Paratha.

Tips: 

• Once the Potatoes are well-cooked remove the lid from the wok, this will prevent the Cauliflowers from being over cooked.
• If you want to prepare this as a curry, add half a cup of water after you add the vegetables in the spice paste.
• If you do not have Sabji masala you can use ¼ teaspoon of Garam Masala. 
• For more taste, make Cumin powder at home. 

Recommended Reading:

• Plain Paratha (Fried Flat Bread)
• Luchi – Deep Fried Puffed Bread
• Indian Salad
• Matar Pulao (Yellow Rice with Peas)
• Kopi Alur Chochchori (Bengali recipe: Stir fried Cauliflower with Potatoes)
• Jeera Rice (Rice flavored with Cumin Seeds)
• Top 10 Spices to keep in your kitchen
• Alu Potol Kumror Dalna (Potato, Pointed Gourd and Pumpkin curry)
• Kopi Chechki (Stir-fried Cauliflower and vegetables)
• Korola Alu (Stir fried Bitter Gourd with Potatoes)
• Borboti Alur Torkari (Beans sautéed with spices and Potatoes)
• Bandakopi Alur Torkari (Mamma’s Cabbage in curried Potatoes)
• Kathal ki Sabji (Enchor/Jackfruit in a Tomato Curry)
• Egg Curry (Bengali recipe: Fried Eggs curry)