Phulkopi Aloo Matar er Ghugni or Cauliflower and Potatoes cooked with dry Peas

Hello! Hello all!!
Hope all of you are doing very well and having a beautiful winter.
I am fine and doing very well, thank you.
And the reason I am sounding so bright is the line I came across on Indiblogger this morning.
"No comments? Every blog has its day. Keep blogging."
🙂

I am also smiling because of another trip looming in the horizon. It is still in a slightly swinging phase ... swinging between now or a little later,  ... but I am looking forward to it nonetheless.
I am still very much in zombie zone after that hectic trip to the USA and would have liked to savour some more 'me time' and rest.
But the call of kachoris and jalebis with hot milk on winter mornings, gobhi ke pakode in the evenings and homemade, delicious food and the loving pampering  and a little shopping thrown in, is too tempting to resist.
So I think I am ready to travel. Again. 😋

On another note, I hope you are following me on my travel blog ... Country Roads. I have been trying my best to sit down for a few minutes everyday to rummage through the uncountable photographs to select a few proper ones and edit them so that I can make a post regularly.
Not an easy job, given the loads of pending laundry and getting the house back into shape and resetting the kitchen routine again.
Still, I managed to put up my second post on my trip to New York City in November.
Do hop over to see some wonderful colours of Fall in Central Park.


Today's recipe is one easy jugaadu or 'put together in a hurry' recipe.

I had soaked some dry, white peas to make my usual Ghugni.
I usually cook them in the pressure cooker, where they turn very soft and get that perfect just mushy texture for the Ghugni or to be used as a filling for Phuchka or the Pani Puri.

Yes, I sometimes have Phuchka for dinner.
Home made.

But this time, I had boiled them in an open pot. This way, you can keep an eye on them and can take them out when just done.
I use the just done and firm ones in a lot of vegetable curries or thin jhols.
I was in a hurry the other night as I was knitting something and did not want to stay away from the pattern for too long ... the calculations go all haywire then .
But had to get up to make dinner. And I saw this beautiful cauliflower in the fridge, along with the bowlful of peas, I knew what I was going to do.
Just throw in everything together and voila! a simple, light vegetable dish comes to form.

This dish tastes best when made with fresh cauliflowers during winter.

Need :

Dry white peas - soaked and cooked in water with turmeric and salt
Cauliflower florets - cut into medium sized pieces
Potato - 2, cut into cubes
Grated ginger - 1 tbsp
Garlic paste ( optional ) - 1 tsp
Jeera or Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Whole dry red chillies - 2, broken
Roasted jeera/cumin powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric or Haldi powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp ( I used mustard oil )
Water - depending on the amount of gravy you want
Fresh coriander leaves - chopped

How to :

Heat oil in a heavy kadahi / wok / pan.

Add the jeera + dry red chillies,

On low heat, add the ginger + garlic paste and fry a little.

Add the potatoes + cauliflower pieces.

Mix well and add the turmeric powder + salt.

Give another good mix, raise heat and add the water.

Cover and cook till the potatoes are half done.

Remove cover and check for water.
If needed, add a little more.

Add the boiled peas and the red chilli powder.

Cover and cook till everything is cooked well.

Remove cover and check for water ... cook till it reaches the desired consistency.

Add the jeera powder and sugar.
Cover and cook for some more time.

Remove cover and  sprinkle fresh coriander leaves.

Serve hot.

I kept it a little dryish this time as we were having it with Luchis.
If you are having it with parathas or rotis, then do keep some gravy.

This makes for a wonderful winter dinner.
Pair it with Methi parathas  and some achar for a warm, wintery, weekend tv time dinner.

Enjoy!!