Cauliflower Tawa Fry - South Canara Style

 

Cauliflower Tawa Fry and similar tawa fry dishes are made as a side dish to go with Ganji. In india, as any typical Mangalorean house, we ate 'kuchalakki ganji' for supper. Which is basically red boiled-rice porridge, -very nutritious and well suited for the tropical weather conditions.

Check out other tawa fried side dish recipes.

Ingredients:  

• 2 cup - Cauliflower florets [I used half of a medium sized cauliflower]
• ½ cup - Cooking oil for frying
• ½ cup - Suji rava | semolina

Masala for Marination:

• 2 tsp - Rasam powder
• 1 tsp - Red chilli powder (from byadagi red chilli)
• 1 tsp - Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp - Cumin powder
• 2 tsp - Coriander powder
• 1 tsp - Tamarind paste
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cut the cauliflower florets into slices. Basically cut lengthwise in the middle, about a centimeter thick.

2. Take a bowl of warm water or tap water, mix some salt. Put the slices in the water till ready to use. Soaking in water helps in removing chemicals like pesticides and salt helps kill any bugs if present as well. 

3. To prepare the masala, take all the masala ingredients listed in a mixing bowl, add little water and mix it to form thick paste.  
4. Drain the sliced cauliflower from water put it into the mixing bowl with masala. Keep it aside and marinate for about 15 mins.

5. After 15 minutes, sprinkle the suji rava over the mixture, mix it to lightly coat the cauliflower slices. 
6. Place a flat fry pan on stove, switch it on to medium flame. Lightly spread oil over the pan. 
7. Once the pan is hot, transfer the marinated cauliflower slices on the pan, spread and arrange them evenly. 
8. Reduce the flame to medium-low, drizzle 1 tsp of oil over the  cauliflower slices, cover the pan and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the underside of the slices are crispy.

9. Remove the cover, flip each slice, on a low flame, let the other side get crispy as well. No need to cover the pan this time. Will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
10. Serve hot along with rice. 

NOTE:

• You may use same masala and steps to make tawa fry with Potato, Brinjal/Eggplant, Breadfruit, Plantain/green-banana, Kantola/spiny gourd and Fish. 
• Lime juice can be substituted for tamarind paste.
• I usually use Rasam powder as it gives more flavor. If you don't have rasam powder, just substitute with more red chilli powder.
• Garam masala can be substituted for Rasam powder. One may notice, we in South India do not use much of Garam masala in our dishes as it does not suit the weather condition and one may end up upsetting their stomach. Garam means 'Heat', Garam masala is good to use in cold place like in North India, It generate heat in your body while digesting. If we do use garam masala, we also add poppy seeds, black pepper, coconut etc., to cool down and counter act. My mom would make Gasgase (poppy seeds) payasa for desert after having a meal which needed garam masala (like Chicken curry or Biryani)