Maharashtrian Cauliflower Sukhi Bhaji Recipe For A Tasty Dinner

When it comes to cauliflower dishes that you can whip up for a quick, midweek dinner, Maharashtrian cuisine has some brilliant bhajis to offer. A bhaji is basically a type of sabzi or curry, and there are many ways to make one with cauliflower. You could go the Nagpuri or Kolhapuri way to make a spicy, rich cauliflower gravy, or make a cauliflower rassa which is more Puneri and less spicy. Or, you could try the quickest Maharashtrian cauliflower recipe, which is basically called a sukhi bhaji. 

Cauliflower Sukhi Bhaji is a quick and easy Maharashtrian dish that anybody can whip up with ease for a midweek dinner. Hassle-free and yet packed with the goodness of veggies and a Maharashtrian spice blend called goda masala, this dry vegetable stir-fry is usually eaten with freshly made rotis or phulkas. The dish is spicy and makes for an absolutely delicious dinner dish on any given day, but especially on those when you just want a quick dinner instead of an elaborate one. 

To make Cauliflower Sukhi Bhaji at home, the first thing you need to get is goda masala. Unique to Maharashtrian cuisine, this spice blend is used to make dishes like masale bhaat as well as all sorts of bhajis. The masala blend calls for coriander seeds, desiccated coconut, white sesame seeds, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, stone flower, poppy seeds, dry red chillies, niger seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, bay leaves, star anise, turmeric powder and asafoetida. 

While making this masala blend at home is quite easy, you can also buy it online if the ingredients aren’t easily available. When the goda masala is added to cauliflower, potatoes and peas, the taste is unbelievably delicious. Despite being cooked without any onion or garlic, this dish is awesome and perfect for midweek dinners. When paired with freshly made rotis, this easy-peasy stir fry dish is one of the best things you can make. Here’s the recipe. 

Ingredients: 

1 small cauliflower 

1 potato, chopped 

½ cup green peas 

1 tomato, chopped 

5 green chillies, chopped 

2 sprigs curry leaves 

½ tsp mustard seeds 

½ tsp cumin seeds 

¼ tsp asafoetida 

½ tsp turmeric powder 

2 tsp goda masala 

½ tsp jaggery, grated 

Salt, to taste 

2 tsp oil 

Corinader leaves, to garnish 

Image used for representative purpose only. Image courtesy: cookingfromheart.com

Method: 

1. Wash, pat dry and chop the cauliflower into small florets. 

2. Heat oil in a wok and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. 

3. Once these stop spluttering, add the cauliflower florets, potatoes, peas and tomato together. 

4. Mix well and saute for 4-5 minutes. 

5. Now, add the turmeric powder, goda masala and salt to taste. 

6. Mix well and continue stirring while cooking on a medium flame.  

7. Once the vegetables are fully cooked, add the jaggery, mix well and cook for 4-5 minutes more. 

8. Switch off the flame, add the coriander leaves and serve the cauliflower sukhi bhaji hot with rotis.