Cauliflower has always been one of my favorite vegetables! I love to eat the florets raw, or stuffed inside a hot and spicy paratha, or with potatoes. I love the texture and delicate taste of the vegetable. It absorbs flavors of spices very well indeed. Ginger is known for its health benefits. It aids in digestion, relieves gas, and the list of goodness is almost endless. The delicate taste of fragrant cumin seeds combined with ginger and cauliflower in a light curry was just irresistible for me.

The combination of this delicate curry with the Black Eyed Pea Rice and Creamy Avocado Raita was just the perfect lunch for me! I enjoyed my meal thoroughly. The curry is very simple to make and needs very few ingredients. It has beneficial ingredients like turmeric, cumin, and ginger which my grandmother would highly recommend.

The curry was very quick to make. I had the option of making it dry as Hari Nayak suggests in his book, or go ahead and make it in gravy. I have made both version of it and like them equally. My husband prefers the dry curry better.

Adraki Gobi from Chef hari Nayak’s book “My Indian Kitchen.”

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves 4 to 6

• 5 tablespoons oil
• 3 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 large onion (about ½ lb/250 g), minced
• 2 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons Asian chili powder or cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 1 small tomato (about 3 oz/85 g), chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 lbs/2 kg), cut into florets (stem discarded or reserved for other use)
• 2 teaspoons Home-Style Garam Masala (page xx)
• One 2-in (5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips
• 4 tablespoons minced fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the cumin and fennel. Cook, stirring until the seeds begins to brown, about 30 seconds. Add the onion; cook stirring for about 1 minute until slightly brown. Add the Ginger-Garlic Paste, turmeric, Asian chili powder or cayenne pepper, coriander, ½ cup (125 ml) of the water, the tomato and salt. Sauté for another minute until the fat leaves the masala. This technique is called Bhunao.

2. Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown, about 1 minute. Add the remaining ½ cup (125 ml) of water. Cover and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the Home-Style Garam Masala, ginger and corianader leaves and cook until the masala is dry, about 1 minute. Serve hot.