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Fulkopir dalna
Cauliflower and potato in light gravy
ফুলকপির ডালনা: cauliflower and potato in a light ginger-cumin-tomato gravy finished with ghee
Fulkopir dalna is the gravy dish of a niramish (no onion, no garlic) Bengali menu, and it appears on the Durga Puja bhog table and at home on Navami and Dashami, when many families keep the day's food vegetarian. Large cauliflower florets and potatoes are fried golden and then simmered in a thin, glossy gravy of ginger, cumin, tomato and a little yoghurt, finished with ghee and Bengali garam masala. It should taste mellow, warm and slightly sweet rather than hot. Serve it with luchi or khichuri. Common mistake: boiling the cauliflower in the gravy from raw; fry the florets first until browned in patches, or they turn mushy and taste watery. Chef's tip: whisk the yoghurt with the ground spices before it goes in, and keep the heat low, so the gravy stays smooth instead of splitting.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the vegetables
- 1 cauliflowerabout 700 g, cut into large florets
- 2 potatoespeeled and halved
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp mustard oil
For the gravy
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh gingergrated to a paste
- 2 tomatoespuréed
- 4 tbsp plain yoghurt
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 ¼ cups hot water
- 2 ⅞ oz green peas (optional)
- 1 tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp Bengali garam masala
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Toss 1 cauliflower and 2 potatoes with half the ½ tsp ground turmeric and a pinch of the ½ tsp salt.
1 minStep 2: Heat 4 tbsp mustard oil in a kadhai until it just smokes, then lower to medium. Fry the potatoes for 6 minutes until golden; lift out. Fry the cauliflower for 5–6 minutes until browned in patches; lift out.
12 minStep 3: Whisk 4 tbsp plain yoghurt with 1 ½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and the rest of the ½ tsp ground turmeric.
1 minStep 4: In the same oil fry 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp cumin seeds for 30 seconds. Add 1 ½ tbsp fresh ginger and fry for 1 minute, then add 2 tomatoes and cook for 4–5 minutes until thick and the oil starts to separate at the edges.
6 minStep 5: Turn the heat to low and stir in the spiced yoghurt a spoonful at a time. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until the oil separates again.
2 minStep 6: Add the potatoes, 1 ¼ cups hot water, 2 green chillies, 1 tsp sugar and the rest of the 1 tsp salt. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes until the potatoes are nearly soft.
8 minStep 7: Add the cauliflower and 2 ⅞ oz green peas and simmer uncovered for 5–6 minutes until a knife slides easily into the florets and the gravy coats the back of a spoon.
6 minStep 8: Stir in 1 tbsp ghee and ½ tsp Bengali garam masala, cover for 2 minutes and serve.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fulkopir dalna take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cauliflower?
- Broccoli, same weight.
- What can I use instead of potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
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