Fulkopi Chingrir Torkari / Bengali Style Cauliflower and Prawns Curry

Last night we wanted to eat the hottest chicken curry in town. For us...it’s generally the Poulet Piquante...but it was already half past 9...too late to order!! So after much discussion, at 10:00P.M in the night we agreed to have the rustic village style chicken curry.  Within minutes, I was all prepared in my kitchen to make the red hot chicken curry. Thankfully the chicken thawed quickly and hubby chopped the onions, garlic and ginger.  The process and the required ingredients of this particular curry is very simple but the rustic nature of the process is what it makes drool worthy!!Then hubby left the kitchen and I slipped almost 8 African chillies into that curry with a generous amount of Kashmiri red chilli powder!! Red hot...smoking hot!!! My chicken curry, which took me to prepare almost 1 hour, looked rather sinister in its final form!!

Red and velvety smooth and with a generous amount of oil floating on top of the curry...we became more hungry just by looking at it!! The only downside was...we did not have naan!! Hubby ate with plain rice and I went for my usual whole wheat chapatti!! With some fresh cucumber and onions...dinner was finger licking good!!

Fry the potatoes.

Fry the cauliflowers.

Fry the prawns.

Temper the remaining oil with whole garam masalas.

Add chopped onions to them. Cook until golden.

Add the ginger - garlic paste and cook until the onions become golden brown.

Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil separates.

Add all the spices except garam masala powder and cook for 2 minutes.

Add water to make the gravy and cook until almost all the water is evaporated.

then add all the fried cauliflower and potatoes.

Add water, salt and put cover. Cook until the cauliflower and potatoes are cooked through.

When the cauliflower and potatoes are all cooked add the prawns and simmer until the gravy reaches your desired consistency. Finish off with garam masala powder and coriander leaves.

As for the Cauliflower Prawns Curry, this is another rich curry from Bengali. Cauliflower, potatoes, prawns...all good things in one pot!!! You can make this curry with big Tiger Prawns, but I like to cook with smaller ones. Not the tiny – winnies....but I always go for the medium size. I don’t like the idea of highlighting prawns in this curry; rather I want them to be hidden between the cauliflower and potatoes, so that in every bite you will have some prawns as tiny bunches of surprise!! I like it that way!!!

Fulkopi Chingrir Toraki / Bengali Cauliflower and Prawns Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 medium cauliflower – cut into small florets

2 medium potatoes – peeled and cubed

250gm small prawns

1 medium onions – chopped

1 medium tomato – chopped

1 tbsp ginger – garlic paste

1 medium cinnamon stick

3 cloves

3 green cardamoms

1 bay leaf

3 tsp turmeric powder

2-3 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

Some chopped fresh coriander leaves

2 tsp ghee

2 tbsp oil

Method:

Sprinkle turmeric powder salt over the cauliflower florets, cubed potatoes and prawns. Marinate them for 10 minutes.

Heat oil and shallow fry the cauliflower florets and cubed potatoes in separate batches until they turn golden from outside.

In the same oil fry the marinated prawns for 2 minutes and keep aside.

Add more oil to the kadai if required and temper the oil with cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamoms and bay leaves.

Saute for half a minute and add the chopped onions to them.

Stir and cook the onions till they are slightly golden.

Now add the ginger – garlic paste and cook the onions till golden brown.

Then add the chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle some salt over them and cook the tomatoes till the oil starts to separate at the edges.

Now add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder.

Mix them well and sauté until the raw flavour of the spices are gone.

Next add ¼ th cup of water to them and let them cook till the water is almost evaporated leaving a nice smooth gravy.

At this point add another 2 cups of water and let it come to a boil.

As soon as the water starts to bubble add in the fried cauliflower and potatoes.

Add salt as per taste.

Cover and cook till the cauliflowers and potatoes are nicely done.

Then open the cover and add the fried prawns to them.

Give them a good stir to mix well and simmer on medium flame until the gravy reaches your desired consistency.

Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Finally sprinkle the garam masala powder and coriander leaves over them and put off the flame.

Serve hot with plain rice.