A complete meal - Cauliflower Pulao And Veggie Kofta Gravy

A busy but fulfilling day at work is essential for me to be in a really good mood to cook. And sometimes I come home to cook a hearty meal just to feel like I have achieved something for the day.
Some trawling revealed all tomato based malai kofta curries and I was looking for a creamy white gravy to put the cream to good use. So I just decided to make it my way and oh boy - we were licking our plates and then the pan after the contents were emptied into up the dabbas for the next day's lunch. To add more veggies to the meal, I made it along with Cauliflower Pulao. I've made this kind of pulao with Cabbage before and it was amazing but since I wanted to include as many veggies into the meal as we had the lemon creamcheese muffins for lunch, I added the cauliflower instead.

For the Cauliflower Pulao (Serves 4):
Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 15 mins
Ingredients

1. Basmati Rice - 1 cup
2. Coconut Cream - 1/2 cup
3. Cinnamon - a 1 inch long stick
4. Cloves - 4
5. Oil - 1 tbsp
6. Onion - 1 sliced
7. Cauliflower florets - 2 cups
8. Green Chillies - 2 slit
9. Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
10. Salt to taste
11. Water - 1 cup

How I made Cauliflower Pulao :

1. Wash and soak basmati rice.
2. In a cooker, heat 1 tbsp oil.
3. Throw in cumin seeds, cinnamon and cloves. Allow them to crackle.
4. Once they crackle and fill your nostrils with their strong aromas, throw in the green chillies.
5. Fry for 30 seconds and then add the onions.
6. Fry the onions till translucent.
7. Next add the Cauliflower florets.
8. Fry for 2 minutes.
9. Add coconut cream, water and adjust salt.
10. Add drained rice. 
11. Cover and wait for the pressure to build.
12. Once the pressure has built up, lower the flame and leave for 8 minutes. 
13. Turn off flame.
14. Fluff up once the pressure is released.

For the Veggie Kofta Gravy (Serves 4):

Preparation Time : 30 minutes

Cooking Time : 30 minutes

Ingredients :(Serves 4)

For the Koftas:

1. Potatoes - 2 medium sized
2. Carrot - 1 small finely chopped
3. Green Beans - 10 finely chopped
4. Green Chilly - 1 or 2 according to taste
5. Cashewnuts - 1 tbsp chopped
6. Raisins/Kismis - 2 tbsp chopped
7. Salt to taste
8. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
9. Garam masala powder - a pinch
10. Cornflour - 1-2 tbsp
11. Jeera/Cumin powder - 1 tsp
12. Oil for deep frying

For the Gravy:

1. Onion - 1 medium sized
2. Garlic - 1 clove
3. Ginger - same size as garlic
4. Cashew bits - 2 tbsp
5. Khus khus/Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp
6. Warm water to soak cashew and khus khus
7. Fresh cream - 1 cup
8. Water - 1/2 cup
9. Salt to taste
10. Cinnamon - a 1 inch stick
11. Cloves - 4
12. Kasuri Methi - 1 tbsp
13. Turmeric Powder - 1/8 tsp
14. Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
15. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
16. Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
17. Oil - 1 tbsp

How I made it :

For the koftas :

• Boil the potatoes. 
• Zap carrot and beans in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave for 3 minutes.
• Peel, mash potatoes and add to carrot and beans.
• Add chopped green chillies, salt, red chilly powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder.
• Add chopped cashew bits, raisins and cornflour.
• Taste and adjust seasoning according to liking and shape into balls.
• Heat oil for frying.
• Fry veggie balls till golden brown and set aside.

For the Gravy :

1. In a pressure cooker, cook onion and 1 tablespoon of water on high for one whistle.
2. In warm water, immerse cashew bits and khus khus for 10 minutes.
3. Puree the onion once the pressure is released.
4. Grind the cashew and khus khus paste.
5. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the ginger and garlic.
6. Heat oil in a pan.
7. Add the cinnamon and cloves.
8. Once they crackle and leave out their aromas, add the kasuri methi and fry till fragrant.
9. Add the onion paste.
10.  Fry the onion paste till it all comes together as shown in the picture to the right.
11. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder and fry for 30 seconds.
12. Now add the pureed cashew and khus khus paste. 
13. Fry for 3-4 minutes till the onion and cashew paste blend together well. Adjust salt.
14. Add the fresh cream and 1/2 cup water. Allow it to come to a boil.
15. Add garam masala and turn off heat.

Before serving, place the kofta balls into the gravy and serve hot with rice, pulao or rotis.