Cauliflower and Potato Kootu

This is a recipe by Sarojini Ambrose, a friend of ours from Monmouth College. I add a little liquid and serve it on rice, but it works well on its own also. - Jo

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 medium potatoes (I use 4 - 5)
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 tsp red pepper
• 1 large tomato
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp ground red pepper (I use 1 - 1 1/2 tsp hot curry powder instead)
• 1/4 inch ginger root
• 1 large pod garlic
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp fennel (opt.)
• canola oil
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 10 mustard seeds

Instructions:

1. Cut cauliflower into small pieces, wash and drain.
2. With a mortar and pestle, crush ginger root, garlic and fennel. (I grate mine.)
3. Cut onion into small pieces. Dice jalapeno pepper.
4. Heat about 5 T oil in a saucepan. To check if it is sufficiently heated, drop into oil about 10 mustard seeds and wait until they pop. Then saute onions and pepper.
5. When onion has turned golden brown, add sliced tomato, 1 1/2 tsp red pepper (or curry powder), crushed ginger mixture, cumin and coriander. Let it cook for 5 minutes or a little more--until the tomato has turned it into paste and the spices have been well absorbed in it.
6. Add cauliflower and stir well, so that the pieces are covered in the tomato and spice mix. Cook over medium heat.
7. In a separate pan, heat about 8 T oil. Check if oil is ready by doing mustard seed test. When oil is ready, add the potato pieces rubbed with 1/2 tsp red pepper.
8. When cauliflower is nearly cooked the way you like to eat it, add 1 chicken bouillon. The second chicken bouillon is to be added to the potatoes.
9. When cauliflower is done and the potatoes crisp, add potatoes to the cauliflower and mix two gently. The cauliflower and potato kootu is now ready.