Bori Diye Phulkopir Patla Jhol (Lentil Dumplings in a Spicy Cauliflower Gravy)

It's that time of the year when we pack our bags and go for a long vacation. With or without the baby, we have never broken this tradition ever since we got married 6 years back (and tomorrow is our anniversary). However, this time it is an extended holiday with first a quick India trip for a wedding and then finally to our holiday destination, Phuket. Ohh! How I love this place. The food, the shopping, the beach, and most importantly the massage. So before leaving for this long holiday, I need to, or rather want to, finish off all groceries and have a clean and empty refrigerator barring a few eggs (which I will need on the day I come back). Today's curry is a bengali spicy curry with some cauliflower florets and homemade fried lentil dumplings. Enjoy with a bowl of plain rice and you are done with a tasty dinner/lunch without much hard work.

Ingredients

1/2 cup cauliflower florets (roughly 5-6 florets)

1 medium potato, cubed

1/2 cup masoor daal, washed and soaked for at least 2 hours

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 inch piece ginger, grated

1 fresh chilli

1/2 tsp onion seeds (kalonji)

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp red chilli powder, divided

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp sugar

Coriander leaves for garnishing

1 tbsp mustard oil

Refined oil for frying the lentil dumplings

Direction

Drain the soaked masoor daal and blend it in a blender to a smooth paste, preferably without any water. Transfer to a bowl and add a little salt and half of the red chilli powder. Mix well. Heat sufficient refined oil in a wok, and add spoonfuls of the blended lentil paste and fry till golden brown on all sides. Drain excess oil on paper towels and keep aside. Once the entire paste is used up, fry the cauliflower florets and then the potato cubes in the same oil. Drain excess oil and keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil in another pan and add kalonji or onion seeds and let it crackle. Add the grated ginger and fry for a minute. Now add the tomatoes and fry till oil starts leaving from the sides. In a small bowl, take all the dry spices along with salt and sugar and make a paste with a little water. Add it to the tomatoes in the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes till oil starts appearing on the sides. Now add the cauliflower and potatoes and mix it well with the masala. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Now simmer the heat and cover cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are just done. Now add the fried lentil dumplings and cover cook for another 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and remove from heat.