Cauliflower Peas Masala is an easy and tasty sabji masala. This pairs well with rice and roti. This can be made semi-dry or completely dry, as preferred. I have explained both the recipes in this post. Cauliflower is the base vegetable for this recipe and the add-ons are peas, potato, colored bell peppers. Cauliflower can be replaced with broccoli. Be it Cauliflower or Broccoli, always opt for organic vegetable as they both are highly prone for pests and hence inorganic ones will be fairly soaked in pesticides. Be it organic or inorganic, blanch the vegetable to get rid of worms/pesticides.
Cauliflower Peas Masala Recipe:
Cauliflower Peas Masala can be prepared as semi-dry or completely dry. I have given the ingredients and steps for both the variations. They slightly differ in ingredients. Before looking into the recipes, let us first see the steps of how to blanch cauliflower/broccoli?
1.Separate the florets from the whole cauliflower. Cut big florets into two. Wash the florets once.
2.Boil water and a tsp of salt in a big pan. Once water starts to rolling boil, add the florets and switch off the stove. After 1 minute, take out the florets from hot water using a strainer and put them into a bowl of cold/tap water. Again, take the florets out of cold water using a strainer and keep aside. Blanched cauliflower florets are ready.
Cauliflower Peas Semi-dry Masala:
- Cauliflower - 1
- Peas - ¼ cup
- Bell peppers - 1 cup chopped(optional)
- Oil - 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds - ¼ tsp
- Cumin seeds/Jeera - ¼ tsp
- Curry leaves - Few
- Garlic cloves - 4 to 6
- Big onion - 1
- Tomato - 1
- Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
- Coriander powder - 1 tsp
- Chilli powder - 1 tsp
- Kasuri Methi - 1 tsp
- Coriander leaves - Few(optional)
Steps for Cauliflower Peas Semi-dry Masala:
- In a pan, add 1/4 tsp groundnut/coconut/sesame oil. Once hot, add chopped colored bell peppers and fry for 2 minutes in medium flame until soft, but crunchy.
- Take out the fried capsicum to a plate and add 1 tsp oil to the same pan.
- Once oil is hot, add mustard seeds.
- Once mustard seeds are spluttered, add cumin seeds/jeera.
- Before cumin seeds darken, add curry leaves, finely chopped garlic cloves and 1 chopped onion.
- Once onions start to change color, add 1 chopped tomato and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
- Once tomato turns mushy, add 1 tsp coriander powder and 1 tsp chilli powder. Saute in low flame for 1 minute.
- Add blanched cauliflower and peas along with required salt. Saute in medium flame for 1 minute.
- Add 2 to 3 tbsp water, cover and cook in medium flame until cauliflower is cooked(should be crunchy and not mushy). Open and stir now and then, until cooked.
- Once cauliflower is cooked, open and add crushed Kasuri methi leaves or chopped coriander leaves.
- Add fried capsicum and mix well.
- Fry for a minute until desired semi-dry consistency.
- Goes well with Chapathi/Roti/Dosa. Do not forget to read the tips given at the end of this post.
Cauliflower Peas dry Masala:
- Cauliflower - 1
- Peas - ¼ cup
- Oil - 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds - ¼ tsp
- Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
- Curry leaves - Few
- Garlic cloves - 6
- Big onion - 1 (Optional)
- Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
- Chilli powder - 1 tsp
- Kasuri Methi - 1 tsp
- Coriander leaves - Few(optional)
Steps for Cauliflower Peas dry Masala:
- In an iron pan, add 2 tsp groundnut/coconut/sesame oil. Once hot, add mustard seeds.
- Once mustard seeds are spluttered, add cumin seeds/jeera.
- Before cumin seeds darken, add curry leaves, finely chopped garlic cloves and 1 chopped onion(optional).
- Once onion starts to change color, add blanched cauliflower with a big pinch turmeric powder. Stir for a min & cook closed in low-medium flame for 5 mins.
- Then add salt & peas & cook in low flame for 5 mins.
- Then add 1 tsp plain chilli powder, stir & cook in low flame for 5 mins.
- In the above whole process, add more oil whenever required.. Also, open & stir often to avoid burning at the bottom.
- Once cauliflower is cooked, open and add crushed Kasuri methi leaves or chopped coriander leaves.
- Finally, cook open until dry.
- This goes well with sambar rice, dal rice, lemon rice, curd rice, coconut rice. This can also be stuffed inside dosa and pair it with chutney/sambar. Tips below..
Tips in making Cauliflower Peas Masala:
- Increase chilli powder to make it spicy.
- As dry masala is made without water, it will require more oil compared to semi-dry masala.
- You shall skip the add-ons(peas, capsicum,potato) and make this masala just with cauliflower/broccoli.
- If you want to add potato, peel off the skin, chop into slim sticks and add along with cauliflower.
- Adding colored bell peppers give a slight sweetish taste to the masala. We love it when pairing with Roti/Dosa. You can skip it, if you don’t like it.
- Kasuri Methi gives North-Indian touch to the dish. Coriander leaves give south-Indian touch to the dish. Add whichever you prefer. I personally prefer Kasuri Methi when pairing with Roti/Dosa and Coriander leaves when pairing with Rice.
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