Prawn Cauliflower Caldinho

Prawn Cauliflower Caldinho is a Goan Curry made with spiced coconut milk. It is a very common make in most households. People prefer to add vinegar in this curry. But I prefer to make it without vinegar. The freshness of the cauliflower, the prawns and the freshly grated coconut add all the flavor that is needed for this mild and creamy curry.

Serves: A Family of Four

Prep. Time: 20 Mins.

Cooking Time: 30 to 35 Mins.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower – 600 gms (cleaned)
• Prawns (cleaned, deveined) – 12 medium (200 gms)
• For the Spiced Coconut Milk :
  • Coconut (freshly grated) – 2 cups (tightly packed)
  • Corriander Seeds – 1 tbsp.
  • Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp.
  • Black Peppercorns – 8
  • Turmeric Powder – ½ + 1 tsp.
• Onions (finely chopped) 1 medium
• Garlic (finely chopped) – 5 cloves
• Green Chillies (slit) – 3
• Oil – 2 tbsp.
• Salt – 2 tbsp + ½ tsp. or to taste.

Step 1:     Separate the florets of the cauliflower. Keep a few tender leaves. Add to a bowl of water and add 2 tbsp. salt to it (Cauliflowers are known to be infested with worms sometimes. This will kill and remove them out). Later, just before you need to cook them, pick out the florets and rinse a couple of times and use.

Step 2:     Devein the prawns and apply ½ tsp. turmeric powder and then rinse them. Next apply ¼ tsp. salt to them and keep aside.

Step 3:     Grind the ingredients for the masala (spiced coconut milk) with 2 cups warm water. Then sieve and extract the juice from it in a bowl. This is your 1^st extract of the spiced coconut milk – the thick spiced coconut milk. Grind the coconut residue once again with another 2 cups of warm water and strain it into another bowl. This is your 2^nd extract – the thin spiced coconut milk.

Step 4:     When ready, heat 2 tbsp. oil in a vessel and add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds on medium heat. Then add the onion and saute till it turns translucent.

Step 5:     Now add the green chillies and saute for a minute on low heat. Next add the second extract of the spiced coconut milk (the thin coconut milk) and ½ tsp. salt. Bring the curry close to a boil.

Step 6:     Add the rinsed and drained cauliflower florets and cook covered for 10 to 12 minutes on low heat or till the florets are fork tender (almost cooked).

Step 7:     Add the thick spiced coconut milk (1^st extract) and ½ tsp. salt and continue cooking on low heat till it start bubbling. At this point add the prawns one by one and let the prawns poach in the curry for not more than 2 minutes.

Step 8:    Switch off the heat and cover the pan with the lid. Leave it slightly open at one end. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

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