India Unlimited - All Things Indian

 

Welcome back dear readers and wish you a very happy and prosperous 2010! It’s the start of a new year, actually a whole new decade and my excitement is boundless. If you are like most people, you have probably made New Year resolutions and already broken some of them. Well, all I can say is….join the club.

 

There is however one resolve I have stuck to so far and intend to hold on to - discard the conventional and travel the less beaten path. I am sure that a lot of surprises await me, some truly wonderful and some not so pleasant. But how will I know unless I embark on that journey?

So let the ride begin with a perfect appetizer recipe that embodies the spirit of adventure and unconventional.

 

Ingredients:

- 1 cup besan/gram flour

- ½ cup rice flour

- 1/8 tsp turmeric

- ¼ tsp chilli powder

- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

- 1/8 tsp salt

- 1 lb frozen or fresh cauliflower

- 1 tsp soy sauce (I prefer low sodium)

- 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste

- 1 cup tomato ketchup

- Vegetable oil (about ¾ to 1 cup)

 

How To Make:

If using frozen cauliflower, thaw well. Lightly steam the cauliflower in the microwave for a few minute (about 2 minutes for frozen, about 5 minutes for fresh). Set aside and let cool to room temperature. Make the dry mix by combining besan/gram flour, rice flour, tumeric, black pepper, chilli powder and salt. Make the wet mix by combining ketchup, soy sauce, ginger and garlic paste. Pour the wet over the florets and toss to cover evenly. Let them sit for about 10 minutes. Spread the dry mix in a shallow dish and roll the florets to coat evenly.

Heat a shallow non-stick pan on medium heat and cover the bottom with a thin layer of oil. Spread the coated florets across the pan in a single layer and let them cook in the oil on medium heat. Turns the florets when the bottom side gets golden brown and crunchy. When the other side is done similarly, drain them on a paper towel to remove excess oil.

 

Tips

-  You can make these ahead of time and warm them up in a 250 degree oven for about 10 - 15 minutes before serving.

- Serve with more ketchup or a creamier sauce like ranch or blue cheese dressing.

- For a spicier version, mix 2 finely chopped Indian green chillies or 1 jalapeno in the wet mix. Garnish with cilantro and more chopped green chillies.