Gingered turmeric, cauliflower and pea rice by Indian cook Mallika Basu
Delicately spiced with just ginger, turmeric and cumin, this one pot pulao called Taheri is a favourite in the state of Uttar Pradesh and in the capital city of Delhi.
Unbeknown to many, Delhi is not only home to Mughlai cuisine but also the simply cooked, primarily vegetarian daily meals of the agricultural community that settled there. My Delhi-ite maternal granny was the resident expert at their cuisine and this dish was a firm favourite in our childhood.
Keep a kettle full of freshly boiled water to add to it while it’s cooking and a pot of yoghurt and some pickle to enjoy this with.
Ingredients (feeds 4-6):
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 small cauliflower, in medium florets
3 small potatoes, quartered
Half inch ginger, grated
One tsp turmeric powder
One tsp cumin powder
400gm uncooked Basmati rice
One cup shelled peas
2 tsp salt
Method
Bring the oil to heat over a high flame in a large pot. When it’s hot, stir in the cauliflower and potatoes.
Stir for a minute until the vegetables are sealed all over and add the ginger. Mix viciously for another minute to coat all the vegetables with the masalas. If the spices stick to the bottom of the pot, add a bit of hot water and scrape it off.
Then rinse the rice thoroughly in a sieve under a tap and tip it onto the vegetables. Stir everything well for about a minute, then mix through 3.5 cups of hot water, the peas and the salt and bring to the boil.
When the liquid starts bubbling, lower the heat and cook on a high simmer covered for 10-12 minutes until the rice absorbs all the water and is cooked through. Keep the lid on for the rice for at least another five minutes before you serve. This prevents the hot rice from falling apart as well as helps it soak up all the moisture in the pot.
Serve warm, or leave to cool and reheat in the microwave before serving.
Mallika Basu is a London-based food writer, cookbook author and cookery personality; quickindiancooking.com. Follow her on Twitter @MallikaBasu_ and find more of her recipes for the Evening Standard here.
