Produce
Cauliflower
गोभी
Also called gobi, cauli
A brassica grown for its tight white curd. It takes spice and dry heat without falling apart if you do not drown it. The leaves and stalk are edible and often better than the pale core people throw away.
Origin
Eastern Mediterranean selections of wild cabbage, now global. The aloo gobi pairing is North Indian; the roast-tray habit is later European and home-cook fashion.
Flavour
Mild and nutty when browned, cabbage-sweet when steamed. Overboiled cauliflower tastes of school halls and sulphur. The browned edges are the best part.
How to use it
Cut even florets and dry them. For a sabzi, fry spices in fat, then add the cauliflower and cook hot enough that it chars in spots instead of steaming grey. Roast on a hot tray with oil and salt until the edges catch, then finish with lemon. Steam only if you want a mash. The stalk, peeled and sliced, cooks with the florets. Leftover roast cauliflower is better fried the next day than microwaved.
Storage
Fridge, unwashed, in a bag that can breathe, a few days. Brown speckles spread. Cut it only when you need it; the cut face oxidises.
Recipes using it
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