When a hero dies (Levon Helm) it’s comforting to hear of other heroes or in this case heroines, flourishing.
Two such are revered veteran food writers and cooks Claudia Roden
and Madhur Jaffrey
They are both in their 70’s and both have new projects.
Claudia Roden (75) is publishing The Food of Spain and Madhur Jaffrey (78) is relaunching herself on the Good Food TV Channel with a new series to accompany her new book, Curry Nation.
Madhur Jaffrey had come to mind when I felt a yen for something with an Indian flavor for supper tonight–but couldn’t find a focus for the fancy, until I spotted a nest of cauliflowers offering themselves on the small table stall of a local grower early this morning.
I was pretty sure Madhur Jaffrey had a good recipe for cauliflower in her book Indian Cookery; so I bought the middling sized one and headed home for breakfast.
Here it is–adjusted a little:
for 2--as a main course:
1 medium cauliflower–the head separated into small bite size florets
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 cloves of garlic–chopped fine
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
- Soak the cauliflower in water for a half hour–then drain the florets.
- Heat the oil in a pan large enough to hold the florets in a single layer.
- Add the fennel and mustard seeds and sauté until they start popping.
- Add the turmeric and the cayenne.
- Add the garlic to the pan and let it colour lightly.
- Add the drained florets, salt and 3 tablespoons of water.
- Cover and cook for 10 minutes–or until the cauliflower is almost tender.
Brown basmati rice, red lentil dhal and yogurt sauce accompanied it–my yen was satisfied!
Robin Ellis 
How much garlic? And when do I add the turmeric, cayenne pepper and salt?
Thanks, Tunnza–I’ve sorted it. Oh dear.
I made the spicy cauliflower and fishcakes tonight, both were delicious. I enjoy hearing the stories behind them too. Thanks for the recipes!
Your kitchen setting is lovelier, tastier(cats, postcards,flowers,colors…You…etc)How we would enjoy seeing you acting the story…walking early morning to the local grower…thinking,conversing with yourself, deciding…projecting ,searching in different cookbooks… sharpening the knive…etc
I had no idea of Madhur’s age, doesn’t she wear it well?
Garlic …. my youngest daughter Frederique loves helping in the kitchen when I need garlic so it is very often on our menu. And now I will buy brown Basmati rice but how will I cook it the best way. White Basmati I learned from Jamie Oliver: 5 minutes cooking in a pan filled with much water(I use a steam cookpan and then all the cooking water out except 2 centimeter cooking/steaming water left and again cooking/steaming 8 minutes and it’s perfect and I wonder what is your best Brown Basmati rice cooking way?
Meredith writing here Caroline. Robin is in bed with a cold! I’m sure he’ll respond when he’s feeling better….
Thanks for replying Meredith and to Robin:Get well soon!
I hope you won’t forget telling about the Basmati rice cooking.
But feeling well is most important!
Best wishes from Caroline
Robin what have you said or done to your couliflower or is it just being very shy.
Always loved curry’s must try this one.
Sorry missed spelt cauliflower
Meredith I am sorry to read that Robin is unwell, hope he feels better soon,as I am sure he will with your love and care.
Thanks, Elaine! He’s improving. But I have to do the cooking !!!! I found myself referring to his cookbook for fennel soup :-)!
Chicken soup is supposed to help a cold. It is a comforting type of soup
Get well soon, Robin. Jewish penicillin always works!
That will do him good Meredith, take care.
Get well soon wishes to Robin! And for Caroline, the way I have always cooked brown rice is to measure into a dry heavy pan already heated, and stir until the rice browns, trying not to scorch it. Have your water and the pot lid standing by. When the rice is browned (you will see the grains expand) pour in the same proportion of water as you would use for white rice, and put the lid on quickly, being careful not to let the steam burn you. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and let simmer — it will cook as quickly as white rice this way.
Thank you very much for your advice. It is very nice to learn from each other!
Hi, Meredith,
Sorry to hear that your caterer’s under the weather…
THIS fledgling cook has been cooking up a storm over school break! Made some white bean & parsley soup–absolutely DELISH (and easy to make–now that’s MY kind of recipe!) It didn’t last very long! So then I had to try out your birthday torte…especially since the cater couldn’t make it for me. A lot more work, but it was another success. (Might speed it up with a little fr*z#n spinach next time…Shh! Don’t tell anyone…) Hope your cook’s up & about soon!
PS: Evidence of my efforts: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dianneandgene/6965367906/in/photostream
Cheers & hugs!
Looks good!A tip for everybody that I have just learnt from a magazine–when you are frying something in a frying-pan, sprinkle some flour in the pan before you add the olive oil and it will not spit . I always used to get burnt when doing stir fry till I found this tip and it works!.
By the way, who sings on the blog video in French? Is it Charles Trenet? He has a nice voice whoever it is.
Dear Robin & Meredith,
Firstly hope Robin gets well soon. It is misserable to be poorly. Expect Meredith is doing a wonderful job taking care of you, & expect her cooking will be fine.
There was an article on tv this morning. Diabetes becoming a greater problem Expected to be one 5th of the population & the high incidence of type one’s as well as type two’s.
As I have said before ,you need to take extra good care of yourself with diabetes. A dear friend has just lost her toe, & an aunt has recurring leg ulcers. You dont heal as well when you have this.
Take time to have a good laugh, relax & have the hankies handy. I agree with the chiken soup, wonderful cure all!
My cat, Lala, is helping me write this so any mistakes i blame on her(not fair I agree). Her paw to my typing finger, & purrs continuous.
ps: Ordered the new revised Making Poldark, but wont be delivered for another month.
Many good wishes of good health to you both. xx
bobo
Thank you Nancyinmi for the directions for the brown rice. I tried cooking the rice this past week end. I followed the directions on the package which said to cook the rice for one hour in water etc. Well, I smelt it burning after a half hour. I had to throw away the pot because it was beyond scrubing!!
I learned this back in my hippie-commune days from a woman who cooked huge pots of brown rice every night. I never cared much for white rice, so I was glad to be trained right for cooking brown rice. It’s worked well for 40 years and I’m more than happy to share the method.
vos recettes sur votre blog sont magnifiques et délicieuses!…. serait-il possible de trouver la traduction en français de”Delicious Dishes for Diabetics” ?… merci beaucoup à l’avance pour votre réponse
Merci beaucoup, Graziella. Jusqu’à maintenant on n’a pas trouvé un rédacteur. On peut vivre en espérance!?