BORLOTTI BEANS AND CAULIFLOWER KURMA

Stil winter is going on here with chilled pinching breezes and light showers a typical Mediterranean climate.We are geting fresh winter vegetables like turnips, carrots,spinach,cauliflower and beans,green peas.We get 3-4 varieties of beans here. This is one variety among them.I have seen this beans after a long time,when I was in Ooty I cam to know about this beans. I like this beans because of there mild nutty flavour and they just melt in the mouth like butter after they are cooked. As pretty as cranberry beans are when fresh or dried they don't keep there color when cooked.They tend to turn light brown after cooking. Because of those marks they called as cranberry beans? I am not sure!.. Cranberry beans or pinto beans may be known by several other names but here they are calling them as Borlotti beans.

borlotti beans can be a great choice for many soups and salads many more other recipes.Like many other beans borlotti beans provide excellent nutrition,high in fiber,also low in calories.They are fat free food,when combine with whole grains like brown rice, borlotti beans provide virtually fat-free, high protein meal.Borlotti beans helps in lowering cholesterol because of it's hifiber content and prevents of rising sugar levels so good for diabetes too.

INGREDIENTS:---

Borlotti beans --- 1 cup(I used fresh beans, can use dry beans also)

Cauliflower -- 1 medium

Onion -- 1 big

Tomato -- 2 big

Garlic -- 5 cloves

Ginger -- 2 inches piece

Oil -- 2 tab sp

Cloves -- 4

Cardamom -- 3

Cinnamon -- 1 inch piece broken in to 2 pieces

Salt --- 1 &1/2 tea sp or according to your taste

Turmeric powder -- 1/2 tea sp

Red chilli powder --- 1 tea sp

FOR PASTE --

Grated fresh coconut --- 2 tab sp

Fennel seeds -- 1 tea sp

Poppy seeds or melon seeds -- 1 tab sp

METHOD:---

1.Cut onion and tomato in to cubes,peal and cut ginger and garlic in to small peaces.

2. Grind onion,ginger and garlic in to a coares paste.

3. Grind coconut,fennel seeds, poppy or melon seeds,and tomato in to a fine paste.

4.Cut cailiflower in to small florets.

5. If you are using dry beans then soak them in water for over night and cook till they become soft. Or cook in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles,No need to cook the fresh beans before you add to the curry.

6.Heat oil in a pan add cloves,cardamom,cinnamon fry for a while then add onion,ginger,garlic paste,fry till the paste turn in to pink in color and leaves the oil from sides.

7.Then add coconut,tomato,poppy seeds,fennel seed paste and beans fry for 2 minutes add a 1/2 cup water cook till the masala leaves the raw flavour and give a nice aroma.

8.Now add salt,red chilli powder,turmeric powder and pour 1 more cup water cover and cook in alow flame till beans become soft it will take 15 to 20 minutes.

9.Add cauliflower pieces mix well, if required add 1/2 cup more water cover and cook in a low flame till cauliflower pieces become tender.

10.Remove from heat and serve hot with roti or rice.