Top of the list of sailboat friendly vegetables: cauliflower and potatoes. They’re durable and can be stored in an airy food hammock for a good week or more. Filled with vitamin C, vitamin B6, fiber, folate…and…and…

Yawn.

Seriously?? Cauliflower and potatoes? You’d rather fill your galley locker with granola bars, right? But you’ve never tasted those typically boring vegetables until you’ve had them in an Indian Masala. There’s nothing that can excite your taste buds like ginger, cinnamon, coriander and coconut milk …along with a dozen more delightful spices and ingredients. Yup, I guarantee you can even get your kids to eat this cauliflower!

Gobhi Masala (Indian Cauliflower)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves
1 medium onion
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 cayenne pepper, minced
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons garam masala (or curry powder)
1 head cauliflower
2 potatoes, skinned and diced
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 can unsweetened coconut milk (not coconut cream)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup water
Chopped cilantro for garnish

First step…as with most Asian delights…lots of chopping! Chop the garlic and onion. If you can get your hands on a Ulu, you’ll never look at chopping as a task, it’s a sport! Carefully mince the cayenne pepper in the same chopping pile.

Mince the ginger. I like to peel off the outer layer of skin with a vegetable peeler, then slice thin slices against the grain. Throw those slices into a Ulu and chop away. Or just chop away on a cutting board.

Heat the vegetable oil in your largest pot. Sauté the ginger, garlic and onions until onions are translucent. Add the minced cayenne (careful not to rub your eyes!) the cinnamon stick, coriander and garam masala or curry powder. Let simmer on low for 5 minutes.

Break up the head of cauliflower into 1″ – 2″ size florets. Dice the potatoes and set aside with the cauliflower.

Chop the tomatoes.

Add the tomatoes to your pot and let cook for another 5 minutes.

Open the can of coconut milk and gently stir. Coconut milk naturally separates in a can. Shaking can sometimes combines the clear liquid from the coconut paste below. But typically you’ll need to stir with a spoon. Spoon about 2/3 of the can into your pot, reserving the rest if you need it.

Now, dump all the rest of your ingredients, except the cilantro,….the diced potatoes, cauliflower, tomato paste, sugar, salt and water…into the pot. Cover and let cook for 30 minutes on a low burner. If there is not enough broth, add the rest of the coconut milk.

Adjust the seasonings. You may need to add more salt and sugar. I always do.

Serve hot alone in bowls, or on Basmati Rice. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. We always respect those recipes from two oceans away (not matter which way you go from America) because there are few food as flavorful as Indian. Enjoy! And let us know your thoughts!