This is a very common dish found on every restaurant menu and in every home in India, with regional variations. -- Virginia Phillips, free-lance food writer.
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (start with 1/2 teaspoon and add to taste)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 medium cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
1 fresh hot green chile, seeded and sliced
1 teaspoon dried red pepper, crushed
1/2 cup plain yogurt, mixed with 1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until it begins to turn brown, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the potatoes and cook until they also begin to brown, stirring frequently.
Add the dried red pepper, lemon juice, salt and turmeric. Cook over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cauliflower, green and red chilies, and the yogurt-water mixture, and stir well.
Continue cooking for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Put about 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds over the dish at the end as garnish. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
"Ismail Merchant's Passionate Meals"
Thursday, November 15, 2001
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