Spices were very costly until the 16th century, because they had to be brought to Britain overland from the East. We have to thank great explorers like Drake and Rakigh for first making these vital ingredients of good cooking more readily available. Buy your spices freshly and in small amounts, as they lose their strength quickly when stored.
SERVES 4
30 ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil
10 ml (2 tsp) ground coriander
5 ml (1 tsp) ground cumin
2.5-5 ml (1/2 - 1 tsp) chilli powder
2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) ground turmeric
2 garlic cloves, skinned and crushed
1 medium onion, skinned and chopped
1 small cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 potatoes, roughly chopped 2 carrots, sliced
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
225 g (8 oz) tomatoes, roughly chopped
150 g (5 oz) natural yogurt
salt and pepper
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then add the coriander, cumin, chilli, turmeric, garlic and onion and fry for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring continuously.
2. Add the cauliflower, potatoes, carrots and green pepper and stir to coat in the spices. Stir in the tomatoes and 150 ml (1/4 pint) water. Bring to the boil, cover and gently simmer for 25 - 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
3. Remove from the heat, stir in the yogurt and season to taste.
Serve with rice and chutney.
