Spicy Cauliflower Bake - Cheese Vali Gobi

Fresh off the heels of my book review at the "This Book Makes Me Cook Club", I chose to make this spicy cauliflower baked dish or "Cheese Vali Gobi" from the recipe collection in Madhur Jaffrey's autobiography "Climbing the Mango Trees".

Start placing your bets on why I chose to make this particular dish:

1. 
   
   It was one of the easiest recipes in the collection (sucker!)
2. 
   
   I had 2 cauliflowers in my fridge in imminent danger of being unused and tossed
3. 
   
   I actually have no idea how to turn cauliflower into a tasty side dish and was intrigued when I saw this recipe
4. 
   
   All of the above
5. 
   
   None of the above. Shut up and get on with the recipe already.

I'm not sure how "authentic" of an Indian recipe this is, because since when do Indians generously douse their dishes with cheddar cheese. Paneer, yes, but cheddar?

I had to backtrack a little, and thought maybe it was some trascribing error given the dire circumstances I had copied this recipe under *cough*.

Regardless, I really liked the dish. I'n not a fan of cauliflower unless its been spiced, cheese-d, fried or baked into oblivion. Given this had a spicy tinge to it AND the cheese factor, I was sold.

The Man of Chez Split-Pear was not duly impressed, I guess because, again, it is a little hard to picture this as an "indian" accompaniment dish with the cheese and it doesn't help that he detests cauliflower more than I do. But I loved the melted gooiness of the dish and thought it had the right spice punch to it.

Spicy Cauliflower Baked with Cheese (Cheese Vali Gobi) (adapted slightly from Madhur Jaffrey's "Climbing the Mango Trees)

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 head of cauliflower , florets and stems roughly chopped
2 medium Roma tomatoes, grated
1" piece fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, grated
2 hot green chillies, sliced in rounds
3 Tbsp heavy cream
1/4 tsp chilli pwd
1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
1/2 Tbsp coriander pwd
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.Pour oil in non-stick saute pan.3.When hot, add cumin seeds. Sizzle for a few seconds and then add tomatoes, ginger, garlic, chillies, cayenne, turmeric, coriander. Stir and allow ginger and garlic to soften.
4.Add cauliflower, stir to mix. Add salt and cook for about 5 minutes or until cauliflower has almost cooked though or tomatoes have been absorbed.
5.Add cilantro and stir. Remove from heat.
6.Put contents of pan in lightly greased ovenproof dish. Add cream, mix, and then sprinkle cheese over the mixture.
7.Bake in oven till cheese is bubbly, about 10 minutes.

To read other book club members reviews and their contributions, check out:

Simran made powdered rice pudding Phirni.
Janaki made Palak Gosht.
Sheba made Cauliflower with Cheese. Just like me. Except she was smart and posted it earlier!Sweatha made Madhur's "everyday" cauliflower Roz Ki Gobhi.
Jaya made a potato and tomato curry Bazar Jaisey Aloo.
Aqua made rice with peas Tahiri.

If you would like to join this book club, contact Simran at Bombay Foodie.