CAULIFLOWER STEW

CAULIFLOWER STEW / BLOMKOOL BREDIE 

Cauliflower is one of the healthiest vegetables around and can be eaten both cooked and raw. However the tastiest way to prepare  cauliflower is  in a brown stew. Cauliflower is a popular and much loved food in the Cape and I can remember having it as a child in my granmother's house made on a coal stove.  Cauliflower is rich in  vitamin B1, vitamin B2,  vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K,  protein, fiber and magnesium to mention but a few  of it's long list of  health benefits. Some recipes require the cauliflower  to be boiled until it becomes mushy but I believe that is overcooked, destroying most of its vitamins. Cauliflower should still resemble a flower when served. Ideally cauliflower  should be steam soft by its gravy base, stired then served as can be seen in the images below. 

A beautiful white Cauliflower  freshly picked

A naked Cauliflower about to be kniffed into seperate heads

Cauliflower separated into individual little "Bonzai Trees" like heads

Bite size chunks of Cauliflowe prepared for the pot.

Two onions chopped while the tears are flowing

Cabbage quarters about to be chopped

One quarter cabbage that will become the base gravy for the Cauliflower stew

Salt, Pepper, Ground Pepper, all spice, cloves, chillies and garlic adds a fusion of flavour

1/2 killogram Mutton  (shin) adds protein to the stew

Chopped tomato and Capsicum adds even more flavour

Ginger also adds flavour

Potatoes halved and washed.

1/4 cup of  Salad oil / Extra Virgin olive oil

Onions simmering in the salad oil

Braised onions  ready for the meat

The Onions and meat and spices braised untill brown 

Tomato and Capsicum added to the braised onion, meat and spice mixture

The chopped cabbage is braised with the other ingredients untill it reduces to half its volume

Potatoes are added after cabbage is reduced by volume

Cauliflower is added when potatoes are soft and covered with lid to steam

Cauliflower Stew with an amazing aroma and taste

A hearty plate of Cauliflower stew on a bed of white rice.

Recipe for Cauliflower stew

INGREDIENTS

1 medium sized Cauliflower
1/4 cabbage
1/2 kilogram of muton pieces
1/4 cup salad oil
4 medium sized potatoes
2 medium sized onions
1 medium sized Tomato
1/2 medium sized green capsicum
8 cloves
8 all-spice balls
2 chillies
2 cloves of garlic
1 piece of ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fine pepper
1 teaspoon  of ground pepper

Chop 2 onions finely and braise in 1/4 cup of salad oil  in large saucepan / pot untill slightly brown. Add the cuts of meat and shear meat on all sides before coveing it with a lid. Let it braise untill onions are translucent then add spices (salt and pepper, garlic and ginger, cloves and all spice, chopped chillies) allow to braise in the oil for a few minutes then add a cup of water and allow to simmer for about 20-25 mins on medium heat. Add more water as it evaporates as neccessary.  Mixture should take on a dark brown texture. Add chopped tomatto, chopped capsicum, and chopper cabbage and allow to simmer untill the cabbage reduce it a fraction of the original amount. Halve potatoes and add the base mixture and let simmer untill potatoes are soft then add cauliflower chunks. Cauliflower chunks should be cut to that they resemble small trees (bonsai trees) Do not stir and allow to steam, then stir to allow base gravy to coat cauliflower chunks with flavour. Cauliflower should be cooked but still crunchy when served. This preserves all its goodness. Serve on a bed of white rice.

Side salad options:-
Scrape groves alonfg the length of cucumber with a fork. chop into slices. Immerse in salt and black vinager mixture and add a crushed chillie

or

Dice tomato, chop onion, chop mint leaves, cover with white vinager and add salt and a tables spoon of apricot jam.



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