Indian Style Cauliflower

For anyone who doesn't know me, I'm Indian. Yet our food is a little different from stereotypical Indian food; because I'm also a Zoroastrian and a Parsi. Who and what is that? Long story short - My ancestors fled Persia and the invasion of the Ottoman Turks about 1500 years back and ended up in India - Gujarat to be precise. The Gujarati's called us Parsis (People from Persia) and the name stuck. So our foods have a slight Gujarati touch to them, even though it's been generations since we've lived in Gujarat. We do have several dishes that are unique, to us as Parsis, but I have no idea whether those dishes are rooted in Gujarat or Persia. Not being very helpful and informative, am I? 


Anyway, back to the Cauliflower. This is an easy and tasty dish that you can adjust to your palate. We grew up eating it, and any vegetable you used with these basic condiments lent it a different flavour, almost making it a completely different dish. I use frozen or fresh cauliflower for it, depending on the season, and how much of a hurry I'm in. 

1 large cauliflower head, cut into florets, and greens removed
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp (heaped) ginger paste
1 tsp (heaped) garlic paste
2-3 segments garlic, finely chopped (Optional - Depends how much you like Garlic)
1 tsp (leveled) turmeric powder
1 tsp (leveled) chili powder (adjust depending on your tolerance for spiciness)
1 tsp (heaped) cumin powder
1 tsp (heaped) coriander powder
Salt to taste
Little oil

 On medium heat a little oil in a nonstick pan. Fry the onions till they become golden on the edges and translucent in the center. Then add the chopped garlic, and let it start to brown. As soon as it starts to brown, add the ginger and garlic pastes. Cook till the raw smell of the ginger and garlic paste start to go (about 2-3 minutes). Now add all the ingredients except the cauliflower. Cook them a little (about 3-4 minutes). At any time, if the food starts to burn or stick to the pan, add a teeny tiny bit of water. Next add the cauliflower, and mix in with masala. Add about 1/2 a cup of water and let it cook. Keep adding water, a little at a time, whenever it starts to dry up too much. When the cauliflower is cooked, let the remaining water evaporate (It should not be runny on your plate). Serve with hot chapati or bread. Bon Appetit!

Footnote: With Indian food, we often gauge the cooking by the smell of the spices. I know it sounds odd to some people, but the best way to tell that the spices in your pan are cooked, is see that the raw smell of the spices has gone. It's almost like they smell a little less sharper and pungent, than they do straight out of the packet.