Serves: 4
Total Calories: 172

1 1/2 pounds cauliflower (1 head), washed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste + 1/2 teaspoon
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
8 quarter-sized slices peeled fresh ginger
2 cloves fresh garlic (large), peeled
1 to 3 fresh green chili pepper, such as serrano, stemmed
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala + 1/4 teaspoon for garnish
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1. Trim off the cauliflower leaves and cut off as much of the center stalk as possible, creating a cavity where you cut the head from the stalk (so the sauce will later add flavor inside the head). Remove the fibrous outer covering of the stalk with a knife, then chop the stalk coarsely and place it in a food processor bowl.

2. Place the cauliflower head in a microwave-safe dish. Brush the head on both sides with about 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle lightly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and microwave on high power until lightly softened, about 3 minutes.

3. Transfer to a large nonstick wok or saucepan (large enough to hold the cauliflower) and cook over medium-low heat until golden on all sides. Use kitchen tongs to turn the head as needed, making sure that most parts are covered with browned spots.

4. To the food processor with the chopped cauliflower stalk, add the onion, ginger, garlic, and green chili peppers and process to make a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl. Process the tomatoes until puréed and transfer to another bowl. Then process together the yogurt, water, and nutmeg until smooth.

5. Heat the remaining oil over medium heat in the large nonstick wok or saucepan you used to cook the cauliflower, and cook the onion-ginger paste until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the puréed tomatoes and cook, stirring, until most of the juices evaporate, about 10 minutes.

6. Add the coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook about 2 minutes. Add the yogurt-water mixture and half the cilantro and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, place the cauliflower, head up, in the sauce, spoon some of the sauce over the head, cover the pan, and simmer about 10 minutes. Turn the cauliflower over, spoon some of the sauce inside the center cavity, cover again, and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes. (Test by inserting a sharp knife in the center.)

7. Using tongs, gently transfer the cauliflower to a serving dish, cover, and keep warm. Add the remaining cilantro to the sauce and cook over high heat, stirring, until the sauce is very thick, about 5 minutes. Spoon it over the cauliflower. Sprinkle the garam masala on top and serve.

VARIATION: This dish can be made with light green broccoflower. Large eggplant halves, and even with oversize zucchinis. For a different flavor, use Butter-Cream Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes (see Vegetarian Curries).

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 172
Calories from Fat: 92

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Vegetarian Curries
Anaheim Peppers in Spicy Tamarind Sauce
Bitter Melon Curry
Butter-Cream Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
Buttermilk and Cucumber Creamy Curry
Chickpea Pancakes in Curry Sauce
Classic Spicy Curry Sauce
Crispy Fried Okra in Yogurt Sauce
Curried Almond and Poppy Seed Potatoes
Curried Baby White Turnips with Turnip Greens
Curried Eggplant with Hot and Spicy Lentil Nuggets
Curried Fresh Peas or Corn and Potatoes
Curried Jackfruit
Curried Soybean Nuggets
Diced Potato Curry with Pickling Spices
Eggplant Curry with Sambar Powder
Fenugreek Yogurt Curry with Fritters
Green Mango Curry
Haridwar Potato Curry
Hot and Tangy Goan Mixed Vegetables
Hyderabadi Tomatoes in Spicy Tamarind Sauce
Hyderbadi Spicy Eggplants with Roasted Peanut and Sesame Sauce
Kerala Cucumber Curry
Kerala Mixed Vegetable Curry
Lotus Root Balls in Classic Curry Sauce
Mango Curry with Split Pigeon Peas
Minty Green Curry Sauce
Minty Pot-Roasted Potato Curry
Mixed Vegetables in Tomato-Cream Sauce
Mushrooms in Almond and Poppy Seed Sauce
Mustard Greens with Cauliflower Florets
Nani Mama's Yogurt Curry with Onion Fritter
Onion Wedges in Curry Sauce
Peach Halves in Savory Ginger-Peach Sauce
Pot-Roasted Fried Whole Potatoes in Yogurt Curry
Punjabi Chickpea Drops Curry
Punjabi Chickpea Flour Bits in Curry Sauce
Punjabi Mustard Greens
Quick Potatoes and Peas Curry with Tomato Sauce
Quick Punjabi Yogurt Curry
Rajasthani Chickpea Flour Bits in Yogurt Sauce
Rajasthani Potato Curry
Simple Turnip Curry
Sindhi Mixed Vegetables with Split Pigeon Peas
Sindhi Tamarind Curry with Vegetables
Soupy Gujarati Curry
South Indian Pumpkin Curry with Split Pigeon Peas
South Indian Yogurt Curry
South Indian Yogurt and Coconut Milk Curry with Vegetables
Soybean Nugget Curry with Red Bell Peppers
Spicy Curried Chickpea Drops
Spicy Lentil Nugget Curry with Potatoes
Spicy Okra Curry
Spicy Puréed Spinach Greens
Spicy Yogurt Curry with Spinach Ribbons
Spinach Balls in Green Curry
Spinach, Fenugreek Greens, and Broccoli
Stuffed Bell Peppers in Tomato-Cream Sauce
Stuffed Potato Balls in Tomato and Coconut Chutney Curry
Watermelon Whites in Tomato and Onion Sauce
Whole Cauliflower in Traditional Curry Sauce
Yogurt and Potato Curry
Yogurt-Cream Sauce with Nuts
Zucchini Balls in Creamy Tomato Sauce