CHHOLAR DAL PHUL KOFI ( Bengal gram dal with Cauli flower)

Teacher will beat me, beat me not; she loves me, loves me not; Maa will catch me, catch me not....and  it goes on forever...in my school days in a small sub-dividional town of Orissa I used to pick up a straw ( the real ones, not the one we use for coke et al.....) and decide my fate for the time. Now it is different,  pick up a Curry patta sprig and start plucking the leaves one by one, chanting the Mantra "SOMEONE will shout at me, shout at me not .....or ...will put a nigella seasoning....will put a cumin seasoning...

But today it was bit tough to decide because I wanted to post the last recipe of the year. ...So I picked up a curry patta and started plucking leaves...veg to post ..non-veg  to post, twice it came non vege and it was not in line with the desired outcome. ( Like if it ends with loves me not...you start all over again....by the way if you are using a coke straw of standard length, always start with the result you dont want . But it was tough in childhood days , the length of an actual straw varies..so I used to keep on trying until I got the desired results..after all who wanted to be caned in the class,

Same was the case today...I was biased to post a vege ( Jain dish) for all, including my vege friends, we non veges have the advantage of eating vege as a delicacy and non-veg as a day to day staple diet..

After plucking several sprigs I arrived at " Vege dish". Now the kitchen counter is littered with curry leaves. So I have picked up many sprigs of curry leaves, plucking  and chanting " SOME ONE will shout at me, shout at me not,,,,,"
The reason for posting a vege dish at the end of the year, is simple...all of my  blog followers, which are few, can cook it in 2010....and it is a great dish I tell you...
THE RECIPE
It is a traditional Bong dish, having a strong note of cumin, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. ( I have spared our much loved spice, the clove, in honor of my maternal grand mom, (who never used clove in this dish, as a respect to cinnamon flavor). I shall also share a secrete of thickening the Bengal gram dal without over boiling the gram dal. The flavor of souted Cauli flower, gram, cocnonut and the spices is just too good. It always figures as a party dish when there is a mix of Bongs, Malayali, Punjabi and Gujarati, Jain, Tamil etc friends. 
INGREDIENTS
Chana dal ( bengal gram) 1 cup
Moong dal 1 tbsp ( This is the secrete of thickening chana dal , every body knows it and every body says it is secrete , open secrete :-). Dont be tempted to add more; 1 tbsp is 1 tbsp per cup.
Cauli flower -1 about 8 inch dia, 8-12 florets
 grated coconut 3 tbsp ( originally 8mmX6mmX4 mm pieces were used, you can use too)
oil/ ghee for stir frying  Gobi 1 tbsp
 For boiling dal
broken green chili 2
Turmeric 1 tsp
Bay leaf 1
Cinnamon 1 inch, broken into pieces.
Cardamom 2 smashed
Black pepper 6-8 smashed

Salt.

spices
for seasoning
bay leaf 1
dry chili 2
Cumin 1 tsp level.
cinnamon 1/2 inch broken into big pieces
Cardamom 4
Black pepper 10 number
Ghee 1 tbsp 
other spices  ( mixed together and soaked in water, thin paste)
cumin powder 1 tsp level, 
Red chili powder 1 tsp level ( more the merrier),+1 tsp Kashmiri mirch
Ginger paste 1 tbsp
Garnishing  
Ghee 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder 1 tsp  ( made from cinnamon and cardamom. No clove to be used)
Roasted cumin powder 1 tsp 
Sugar 2 tsp level ( for taste) , ( for Bong and Gujarati friends 2 tbsp or more, for sweetening) 
PROCESS
Wash gram and Moong dal and soak for 2 hrs or more.
In a pressure cooker take dal and  soft water ( or bottled mineral water); just sufficient to soften the dall, may be around 2 to 3 cups.
Add spices given under "for boiling dal" and pressure cook. Normally chana dal will take 6-7 minutes if it is soaked for 2-3 hrs or more.
In a thick bottom Kadhai , put 1tbsp oil or ghee and stir fry Cauli flower . This is just to ensure that few brown spots develop on Gobi at random and you get the aroma of fried Gobi. This step can be eliminated too.No dip frying is to be done. 
Remove Gobi and add 1tbsp of ghee for seasoning , when hot add seasoning followed by the coconut , reduce flame and soute for 1 min
Add spice paste soute and you will get the cumin aroma ( dont burn)
Add water just to soften Gobi and mix well.
Add the Cauliflower, salt and mix. (caution  there is salt in dal already)
 cover and boil.
When Gobi is done, drive off water if necessary. ( It may not be necessary as you may need to add water in dal if it is too thick.) 
Add sugar as given above and transfer the dal to the Kadhai. Adjust salt  and water if needed.
Bring to boil.
Add 1 tbsp ghee, garam masala and roasted cumin powder, mix and cover immediately.
Eat with rice, vege Pulao, famous Kanika Pulao of Orissa or with roti, Paratha. I generally eat one small bowl full straight from the pan.
Try this in 2010.

Variation
I also cook  roasted Moong dal in the same way. You can try too.


Happy New year and Happy cooking and happy feeding of near and dear ones through out 2010. See you next year 
Flowers for my dear foodie friends