The combination of cauliflower with potato is unbeatable! There are various different ways to pair these two favorites. You can stir fry to make a lovely side dish. North Indian style Aloo Gobi is one of my fav go-to. Similarly, the milder version is this Bengali Style Cauliflower Potato Curry called Phulkopir Aloo Dalna.
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Ingredients you need for Phulkopir Aloo Dalna
Cauliflower - Avoid using canned cauliflower for this dish. Use fresh or frozen florets. Keep the size of the florets bite size and not too small. Potatoes - Most Bengali dishes calls for potatoes, and it pairs very well with cauliflower. Slice the potatoes into small size almost matching the size of the cauliflower florets. Peas - Ma always used fresh peas for this dish, but I feel lazy, and so I use frozen peas. Spices - Very minimal spices are required to make this dish. You need Bengali five spice called Paanch Phoron, Bengali Bhaja Moshla and Bengali Gorom Moshla. These 3 essential Bengali spice mix is very easy to make at home. Apart from this, you need turmeric powder and chili powder. Ghee and Mustard Oil - Most Bengali recipes are cooked in mustard oil. It is not a mandate, but it does add a lovely pungent flavor to the dish. I like to add a little ghee at the end for flavor and richness.
Steps to prepare the dish
This vegetarian side dish is very simple to make, not spice and very soothing on the tummy. Enjoy with rice or roti. 1- Slice the cauliflower florets into bite size portions. Don’t discard the greens and stalks, you can use that to make stir fried side dish. 2- Peel and slice the potatoes into small wedges. 3- In a bowl, add the cauliflower and potato. Pour hot water along with little salt. Leave it aside for a while, as it will help to soften the vegetable and make the cooking process faster. 4- In a bowl, add all the spice powder except for gorom moshola and make a spice paste with water. 5- Heat mustard oil and add Bengali Five spice, paanch phoron along with bay leaves. Let it sizzle for a few seconds. 6- Add the spice paste and stir it around for a few minutes to cook the spices. 7- Drain the cauliflower, potatoes, salt and add it to the pan. Stir it around, and fry for a few minutes. Then add the frozen peas and cook for some more time. 8- Add water, green chili, little sugar and salt. Bring it to boil and then lower the heat to simmer. Cover the pan and let it simmer for the vegetables to cook and softened. 9- Finally, add garam masala, ghee and cook for a couple more minutes. Taste for salt and add more if needed. Growing up, Mom would prepare this cauliflower curry often for our lunch box. She would make it less gravy, therefore the gravy won’t spill.
Here are a few other Bengali dishes you will enjoy!
Dimer Kalia – Sweet Savory Bengali Egg Curry Kolar Boda (Bengali Style Banana Fritters) Labra (Mix Vegetable Medley)
