Chilli Gobi / Cauliflower kootu / Spicy Cauliflower

Whenever i buy cauliflower i was trying a portion of it to prepare a spicy side dish. I tried many recipes but only this dish grabbed our attention a lot. Tastes good, easy to cook. Goes well with sambhar rice, curd rice and rasam rice.

Ingredients:

1. Cauliflower - 1 - cut into small florets
2. Cooking oil - 4 tbs
3. Mustard seeds + urad daal (white lentil) - 1/2 tbs
4. Cumin seeds / Jeera - 1/2 tbs
5. Curry leaves - 4 nos
6. Dries red chillies - 4 nos (roughly broke into small pieces)
7. Big brown onion - 1/2 finely chopped
8. Tomato - 1 finely chopped
9. Kadalai paruppu /Splited channa daal / Splited peas - roughly 1 handful (soaked in water for 30 mins)
10.Turmeric powder - pinch
11. Coriander powder - 1/2 tbs (optional)
12. Red chilli powder - 1 tbs
13. Salt to taste
14. Coriander leaves for dressing

Method:

1. Soak the cauliflower florets in hot water for 10 mins, drain the water completely and keep it aside.
2. Heat cooking oil in a pan, add mustard seeds + urad daal, once it splatters add cumin seeds, then curry leaves. After 10 sec add dried red chilli and saute for 30 sec. Now add chopped onion and cook till its transparent. Add tomato and saute till its smashed. Drain water from soaked splited peas and add it to the tomato gravy, saute for a min. Add cauliflower, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and mix well. Close the pan with a lid and cook the cauliflower in medium flame.
3. Remove the lid after 20 mins and check whether peas get cooked. Else stir and close the lid. Once peas is cooked sprinkle cilantro leaves and remove from flame.
Serve hot with rice.