We lived four hours away from Goa and my parents had many Konkani speaking friends from the region, some of whom would often invite us for dinner and vice versa. As a kid, I loved trying different foods and flavors and have been lucky enough to live in various places that enabled me to experience that. Dad was in a transferable job and we moved a lot. My childhood food memories revolve around many such moments that have stayed with me all these years. I remember the first time that I tasted a Goan Curry at one of our family friends’ and it was unlike anything I’d ever eaten! The smooth coconut-based sauce flavored delicately with spices and curry leaves was a flavor explosion in my mouth!Once home I’d pester mom to make it for us and she finally got the recipe from one of her friends. I’m sharing the recipe with you today as I reminisce all the delicious food I’ve had growing up.
I’ve often made this recipe with Prawns and Chicken but this is the first time that I’ve tried it using vegetables and it did not disappoint at all. The vegetables get coated with the delicious spice paste while gently simmering in the creamy sauce and hunger pangs start to set in! Its difficult to not want to eat it right away. The color here comes from the addition of the dry Kashmiri chili easily available at your local Indian grocers. I’ve also used tomato paste for extra color and flavor.
The base of the sauce is the spice paste made with fresh grated coconut (available in the frozen section of your Indian grocer) along with cumin, coriander, peppercorns, ginger, garlic and tamarind paste. Once you have the paste ready its just a matter of heating it up a bit for the flavors to come through. Since we’re making our own spice paste here, the flavor is very fresh and tastes a thousand times better. The coconut milk (full fat and not the skimmed) adds a lovely creaminess that brings this dish together and makes it so comforting. All you need is some hot steaming rice to indulge. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups Cauliflower florets (cut them smaller)
- 1 1/2 cup carrots peeled and diced
- 1 1/2 cup potatoes peeled and diced
- 2 small onions finely chopped
- 1 medium tomato diced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- Water-1/2 cup
- Coconut milk-3/4 cup
- 8-10 curry leaves
- Coconut Oil-2-3 tbsp
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 inch ginger
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp tamarind paste (available at your indian grocer)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns
- 8-10 kashmiri chili
- 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
- 1 cup coconut milk
Instructions
- In a food processor blend all the spice paste ingredients into a smooth paste.
- In a pan heat 2-3 tbsp coconut oil and add the chopped onions and saute until slightly golden.
- Add tomato paste and tomatoes.Cook until tomatoes are soft and mixed nicely.
- Add the spice paste and mix well.
- Continue to cook on low heat until it becomes fragrant (about 6-8 minutes)
- Add the potato and carrot and let it cook for about 6-7 mins on low heat to soften them up.Add the cauliflower and mix well.Add water and coconut milk along with the curry leaves and salt and let it cook until the vegetables are tender.
- Check the seasonings and serve hot with rice.
The process starts with blanching the cauliflower and preparing the creamy sauce. The cashews have to be soaked for at least a couple of hours before you start the process. The mix of onions, ginger, garlic, spices and tomato is sautéed and then blended in the food processor along with the soaked cashews. The spice paste is then poured all over the cauliflower and baked in the oven until tender. You can make the spice paste ahead of time and bake it on the day. Its a great recipe for parties and gatherings and popular with guests.
