Erivum Puliyum: Cauliflower(Gobi) Rice ~ Quick Lunch Box Veg Recipes

Cauliflower is a versatile veggie and can be used in various forms in our daily meals. Most of the time, I end up making the gobi manchurian with veg fried rice for a weekend lunch. However, gobi is one veggie which kids don't make a fuss, and they love in whichever form they are served with. Check out a few of the recipes that are successfully running at home, taking turns.

This cauliflower rice recipe is a little different from that of the usual cauliflower rice, where we add small florets and make rice. This recipe uses grated cauliflower and that can be cooked alone with the spices, and served as again 'cauliflower rice' for a low-carb version wherein there is no addition of extra cooked rice. The grated cauliflower itself resembles that of rice and is cooked just like that.

However, this version of mine has cooked rice that I prepare for my kid's lunch box, which I don't plan for a low-carb version. This rice is quite simple to prepare and put together if you have cooked rice at hand. The only time needed is the blanching of florets and grating the florets (I used a manual grater, which otherwse can be done in a food processor quickly). The best part of this rice is that the rice tastes delicious, but hardly anyone notices the grated cauliflower in the rice, especially if you have some picky eaters. Give this a try and pack for the lunch boxes or a quick fix weekend brunch.

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes

Cooking time ~ 10 minutes

Serves ~ 4

Author ~ Julie

Ingredients

to cook rice

basmati rice 1.5 cups

water 3 cups

salt to taste

to make cauliflower rice

cauliflower 400 g or a medium size one (2 cups grated)

ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp

onion 1 finely chopped

green peas 1/4 cup

tomatoes 2 small chopped

turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

hot chilli powder 1.5 tsp

pepper powder 1/2 tsp

fennel powder 1/2 tsp

garam masala 1/2 tsp

whole spices - cardamom 3, cloves 3, cinnamon 1' piece

water 1/4 cup

ghee 1 tbsp

veg oil 3 tbsp

salt to taste

coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped

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Method

Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes. Boil water(3 cups) in a pan and add salt. Add rice when water starts boiling. Cook till done, switch off and keep covered till use. If you have cooked rice ready at hand, omit this step. I showed the step of making rice to share the amount of cooked rice needed for this recipe, which you can modify as per your need.
In a wide heavy bottom pan, add oil. To this add ginger-garlic paste and sauté a minute for the raw smell to disappear. Slide in the whole spices, followed by chopped onions.
Sauté onions until lightly browned, add a little salt to fasten the process. Then add turmeric powder and chilli powder on low flame, sauté until the spices are done. To this, add chopped tomatoes. Give a quick mix, cook covered until tomatoes are soft and cooked.
Add the green peas and grated cauliflower.Give a quick stir and add the remaining spices- garam masala, pepper powder, fennel powder on low flame. Combine and cook covered for 3 minutes on low flame.
Add 1/ 4 cup water and add salt. Combine well and cook covered for another 3 minutes. Adjust salt and add ghee, give a quick toss.
Finally, add in the cooked rice and mix gently. Add the chopped coriander leaves and switch off flame. Keep covered for 10 minutes and then serve (for the flavours to infuse in the rice).