Another quickie … Best mash recipe, with one simple added step … and some spicy tid-bits = Aloo Bharta
Look, I’m such a sucker for a mash. Especially though shall remain nameless ending an “ato” mash. Also a sucker for flavour. So combined those two suckers together and made one of my favourite Indian dishes Aloo Bharta. It’s basically a creamy “ato” mash with fried onion, spices and fresh herbs mixed through, then devoured. My local restaurant does it rolled into balls in a little plate mixed with chopped fresh coriander.
The traditional recipe is done with raw red onion and spices, but I prefer the cooked versions. If you do like a bit of crunch, then maybe just keep the onion and spices raw!
If you have mustard oil, then that’s fabulous, I wouldn’t go out and buy some for this recipe, I have run out so just used olive oil with mustard seeds.
I think you could also cook this as burgers in the oven, I didn’t try it, as wanted mash, but they held together pretty well when I tried rolling them into balls. Let me know if anyone does try this … enjoy!
- 600 grams cauliflower (1 large one), roughly cut into florets leaving stem on
- 4 cups of lite stock (low salt)
- 1 tsp mustard oil (or 1 tsp olive oil with 1 tsp mustard seeds mixed)
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 green chilli, finely sliced, to serve (optional)
- A few tbs chopped spring onion or coriander, to serve
- Cook the cauliflower in the stock for approx 20 mins until nice and soft and falling apart.
- Heat a small frying pan on medium heat. Add oil (& mustard seeds if using olive oil). Mix for two mins. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix, turn down low and let cook away, stirring occasionally and making sure it doesn't burn,
- Drain the cauliflower well in a colander. Get a large tea towel and tip cauli into the middle of it. With kitchen gloves on, grab all four corners and wring the cauliflower out over the sink until much of the water has come out. Return to the saucepan and blitz until really smooth and creamy, it should not be watery but a solid, sticky mash.
- Tip into the frying pan with the onion and spices. Mix. Turn off stove. Taste and season.
- Tip into a large serving bowl and mix through the spring onions/coriander (& chilli if using) and serve.
- This recipe makes four cups of the mash.
- You can just use the mash recipe with other things. It's nice on its own as long as it's well seasoned. The key is removing the water in the cauliflower by wringing it out over the sink, so when you mash it, it isn't watery but creamy.
- Nutritional notes
- Obviously the panel is not working correctly on this recipe card. I have reported the issue and hope it is rectified soon.
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