Winter is over, and the colourful winter vegetables are starting to disappear from the market. Cauliflower is one of them. The vegetable is full of flavour and nutrition, and Bengali cooking makes many different dishes with it. Before the cauliflower season ends, here are some tasty recipes that have a special place in every Bengali household.

• Cauliflower pakora and chop: the ideal snack. Boil the cauliflower well, coat it in spices, dip it in gram flour batter and fry it in oil for hot pakoras. They go wonderfully with tea.
• Cauliflower cutlet: a delicious snack made by mixing boiled cauliflower, potato, onion, chilli and spices, shaping the mix into rounds, coating them in breadcrumbs and frying. Children love it too.
• Cauliflower phulkari: a classic Bengali dish in which cauliflower is cooked with potato and tomato in a thick spiced gravy. It is very good with rice or roti.
• Malai cauliflower: a rich dish of cauliflower cooked with milk, cream and spices, suitable for special occasions.
• Cauliflower in fish and egg curries: cauliflower adds flavour when cooked with fish or eggs. A runny curry can be made with rui or katla fish and cauliflower, and eggs fried and then cooked with cauliflower also taste wonderful.
• Cauliflower roast: an easy, tasty dish in which the cauliflower is lightly fried and then roasted with onion, garlic, ginger and spices. It is very good with rice or paratha.
• Cauliflower musallam: a special dish that is seldom seen but easy to make. The whole cauliflower is coated in spices and fried in oil or grilled. It is as attractive to look at as it is unique in taste.
• Cauliflower korma: a rich dish of cauliflower cooked in coconut milk and spices, served with pulao or paratha.
• Cauliflower curry with fenugreek: a healthy dish in which the combination of fenugreek seeds and cauliflower gives a unique taste and aroma. It is very good with rice or roti.

These cauliflower dishes are full of nutrition as well as flavour. Cook them and enjoy them with your family before the cauliflower season ends. Each dish reflects the tradition and flavour of Bengali cooking, so try this tasty vegetable in your kitchen today.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.