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Cauliflower Poriyal (South Indian Cauliflower Stir Fry)
Here’s an easy, tasty dish in South Indian cuisine from the state of Tamil Nadu – Cauliflower Poriyal. This dish is basically sautéed, steamed or stir-fried cauliflower in a medley of fragrant spices like mustard seeds and herbs like curry leaves, which is finished with grated coconut. Simple to make and naturally vegan too, serve as a side vegetable dish with your everyday meals.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 3
Calories: 185 kcal
Course:
Side Dish
Cuisine:
Indian
Ingredients
For Blanching Cauliflower
- 3½ cups cauliflower - chopped
- 3 cups water - hot
- 2 to 3 pinches salt
Other Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil or preferred neutral flavored oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)
- ½ teaspoon split black gram (urad dal)
- 2 to 3 pinches asafoetida (hing)
- 1 teaspoon ginger - finely chopped
- 10 to 12 curry leaves - chopped
- 1 green chili - slit or chopped
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- salt as required
- ¾ cup water or or add as required
- ¼ cup coconut - grated, fresh or frozen, or add as required
- 2 tablespoons Coriander leaves - chopped, (optional)
Instructions
Prepping Cauliflower
- Rinse and chop the cauliflower in small or medium-sized florets. You will need 3.5 cups of chopped cauliflower.
- You can opt out from blanching step if you want. For organic or homegrown cauliflower, I suggest to blanch it.
- Heat water and salt in a pan. Or you could mix hot water and the salt in a bowl. When heating water in a pan, turn off the heat once the water has begun to boil and then add the cauliflower florets.
- Transfer the florets into the hot water. Mix and blanch them for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes of blanching, drain the water and set blanched cauliflower aside.
Cup of Yum
Making Cauliflower Poriyal
- In another pan, heat coconut oil on medium-low to medium heat.
- Add mustard seeds and let them crackle.
- Lower heat and add urad dal and cumin seeds.
- Fry until the urad dal turns golden.
- Next add finely chopped ginger and chopped curry leaves, green chilies. Mix and stir.
- Reduce heat and add asafoetida and turmeric powder.
- Mix the ground spices with the rest of the ingredients, ensuring that these ground spices do not get burned.
- Add the blanched cauliflower. Season with salt according to taste.
- Mix thoroughly.
- Next add ¾ cup water or add as required.
- Cover pan with a lid and cook on medium-low heat until the cauliflower florets are almost tender.
- Check a few times and if the water has dried and the cauliflower is undercooked and starts sticking to the pan or gets burnt, add some more water and continue to cook.
- The cauliflower florets must be almost cooked before you add the coconut.
- Once the florets are almost cooked, add grated coconut.
- Mix again and continue to cook without lid until all the liquids have evaporated and the poriyal looks dry.Keep in mind that this dish is dry and there should be no water or liquids in it.
- Ensure that the cauliflower florets are tender and perfectly cooked. They should not be overcooked or mushy.
- If you like, lastly garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve Cauliflower Poriyal hot or warm with your everyday Indian meals.
- Enjoy it with a side of chapati or pair with rice and a sambar, rasam or dal and also curd rice.
Notes
- Try to use fresh, tender cauliflower without any black spots or blemishes. Blanch by soaking the florets in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes to get rid of insects, worms and any impurities.
- Ensure that you chop the cauliflower into similar sized florets for even cooking.
- Skip coconut oil if you do not have it. Use any neutral flavored oil instead.
- Remember to crackle the mustard seeds completely before adding other ingredients, so that there is no bitter taste or raw texture of the mustard seeds.
- You can also use red chilies instead of green chilies or both. For a spicy take, add red chili powder, sambar powder and include more chilies.
- Make sure to use fresh curry leaves. You can easily swap with dried leaves, if fresh is not available.
- You can include both fresh grated or frozen coconut in the recipe. Thaw the frozen coconut before adding.
- You could include some carrots, green peas, French beans for a more healthy and colorful poriyal.
Nutrition Information
Calories
185kcal
(9%)
Carbohydrates
10g
(3%)
Protein
3g
(6%)
Fat
17g
(26%)
Saturated Fat
14g
(70%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.4g
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
Sodium
296mg
(12%)
Potassium
395mg
(11%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Vitamin A
150IU
(3%)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
0.1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
0.1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
39mg
Vitamin B6
0.2mg
Vitamin C
125mg
(139%)
Vitamin E
0.2mg
Vitamin K
19µg
Calcium
60mg
(6%)
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
461µg
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Magnesium
28mg
Phosphorus
67mg
Zinc
0.5mg
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 3Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 185
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 185kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 10g | 3% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 17g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.4g | 2% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 296mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 395mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 150IU | 3% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 0.1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 0.1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 39mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.2mg | |
| Vitamin C | 125mg | 139% |
| Vitamin E | 0.2mg | |
| Vitamin K | 19µg | |
| Calcium | 60mg | 6% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 461µg | |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
| Magnesium | 28mg | 7% |
| Phosphorus | 67mg | |
| Zinc | 0.5mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.