Cauliflower Rice

Medium size Cauliflower
1 cup Rice
Seasoning - Mustard(3/4 tsp), Urad Dal(1tsp) and few curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tbsp

Spice Powder
Coriander seeds 3 tsp
Chana dal 2 tsp
Red chillies long variety 2 nos
Fresh or Dry grated coconut 3 tsp(optional)

To prepare the spice powder roast the ingredients in the order given in half a teaspoon of oil. Remove off the stove once the coconut changes color. Let it cool and grind it into a coarse powder. I never bother to use coconut as this rice still tastes good carrying the flavor of the roasted seeds and dals.

Cook the rice separately making sure that it does not turn mushy. Let it cool. There are three ways to get the cauliflower ready. You can chop them into very tiny pieces or cut into big chunks to process it in a food processor or you can grate it on the big hole of the grater. The last one is of course the most easiest and less time consuming. I had to use the third method today as I was running out of time. However, cutting them into fine pieces is the best method.

Take oil in a pan(I used only 1.5 tbsps) splutter the mustard, add urad dal, curry leaves and add the cauliflower. Add some salt and cook it on medium high heat stirring it often till it is soft yet crunchy. Be careful not to over cook it. Add the spice powder(you may not require to use the entire powder so add half of the quantity and add more if needed in the end) so that it nicely coats the vegetable. Stir this for a few minutes before adding the cooled rice. Add the rest of the salt and more powder or oil if needed and toss the rice well for the vegetable and the spice powder to mix nicely with the rice. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with raita. I served the rice with some Doodhi Mor Kuttu.