This is a very popular Punjabi winter staple when the cauliflower
stalks are fresh and tender. As a kid I hated being made to eat this, no
amount of coaxing from the women in the family would make me eat it.
May be because for some reason the vegetarians in the family would say
that it tastes just like fish (Of course, it doesn't). But when I got
this cauliflower with really fresh and tender stalks, it seemed such a
waste to throw them that I decided to try my hand at cooking and eating
danthal. And I was pleasantly surprised that I like them. My nani would
have been very pleased!
I am sure each household has their own recipe for cooking this, this is ours.
tender stalks of a medium sized cauliflower.
1 large onion
6-7 cloves garlic
1 inch piece ginger
1 tomato
1-2 green chillies
1-2 tbsp yoghurt
1-2 tbsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
salt
Also grind together:
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
a tiny bit of mace and nutmeg
1/2 tsp saunf (aniseed)
and mix with:
1/2 tsp chilli powder (more if you want it more spicy)
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp haldi
1/4 tsp saunth (dried ginger powder)
salt
Wash and peel the cauliflower stalks (take away the hard/fibrous covering) and cut into 1.5/2 inch pieces. Make cuts 3/4th the way in each piece, cross ways for the fatter pieces and one way for the thinner ones, and stuff with the spice powder (like one would for bharwan bhindi or baingan).
Grind together to a puree the onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies and tomato.
Heat oil and add cumin seeds, when they splutter add the onion-tomato puree. Fry till the oil separates. Add the curd and mix well. The curd is to add a little bit of creaminess to the masala.
Now add the cauliflower stalks and mix well into the masala. Add any leftover spice powder and salt. Add about 1 katori of water and pressure cook (I gave 5 whistles) till the danthal are cooked. They should be soft but still have a bite.
Fry off all the liquid (bhuno) till the masala clings to the stalks.
Serve with rotis
I am sure each household has their own recipe for cooking this, this is ours.
Ingredients
tender stalks of a medium sized cauliflower.
1 large onion
6-7 cloves garlic
1 inch piece ginger
1 tomato
1-2 green chillies
1-2 tbsp yoghurt
1-2 tbsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
salt
Also grind together:
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
a tiny bit of mace and nutmeg
1/2 tsp saunf (aniseed)
and mix with:
1/2 tsp chilli powder (more if you want it more spicy)
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp haldi
1/4 tsp saunth (dried ginger powder)
salt
Method:
Wash and peel the cauliflower stalks (take away the hard/fibrous covering) and cut into 1.5/2 inch pieces. Make cuts 3/4th the way in each piece, cross ways for the fatter pieces and one way for the thinner ones, and stuff with the spice powder (like one would for bharwan bhindi or baingan).
Grind together to a puree the onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies and tomato.
Heat oil and add cumin seeds, when they splutter add the onion-tomato puree. Fry till the oil separates. Add the curd and mix well. The curd is to add a little bit of creaminess to the masala.
Now add the cauliflower stalks and mix well into the masala. Add any leftover spice powder and salt. Add about 1 katori of water and pressure cook (I gave 5 whistles) till the danthal are cooked. They should be soft but still have a bite.
Fry off all the liquid (bhuno) till the masala clings to the stalks.
Serve with rotis
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