Thimi Tarkari Masala by Cyrus Rustom Todiwala
This originates from Nepal but has been absorbed by several hotels and restaurants, each
claiming to have the original and be the best.
We have tried to bring about something simple, tasteful and easy to replicate and prepare.
There are a few variations that make the dish more nutritious than is normally prepared by our
industry. For instance it is common practice to simply deep-fry the vegetables in a lot of oil,
which then makes the dish greasy and non-appetizing. It is essential that all of us put on our
creative hats when cooking and make minor adjustments to suit our likes and dislikes. Serves 4
Ingredients:
8–10 cauliflower florets
1 large stem broccoli
1 heaped teaspoon sugar
1 medium carrot, diced
250–300 ml vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons ginger and garlic paste
2 teaspoons geera powder
1⁄2 teaspoon chilli powder
1⁄2 teaspoon crushed lovage (ajowan)
1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
1⁄2 teaspoon garam masala
1⁄4 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
150–200 ml single cream
1 heaped tablespoon chopped coriander
salt
Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into small florets. Cut the stems into tiny dice so that
they can cook quickly along with the florets.
Bring just enough water to cover the broccoli and cauliflower to the boil in a saucepan and
add a little salt and the sugar. Add the carrot and, when it is less than half done, add the broccoli
and cauliflower. Boil for 2–3 minutes until all three are just half cooked. Drain in a colander over
another bowl and reserve the liquid. Run some cold water over the vegetables to prevent them
from carrying on cooking.
Heat the oil in a casserole or kadhai and, when hot, fry the three vegetables a little at time
for just a minute or so and drain over another bowl. Make sure the oil is really hot, otherwise the
vegetables will absorb too much. Pass the oil through a strainer and reserve for future use.
Wipe the casserole with kitchen paper, add 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil and heat. Add
the onion and sauté until light brown. Add the ginger/garlic paste and sauté for a minute or two.
Blend all the spices except the garam masala and the crushed peppercorns with the
reserved boiled water and pour this into the pan. As the liquid reduces, blend the garam masala,
crushed pepper and the lime juice into the cream and add. As soon as you see it thicken slightly,
add the vegetables, check the seasoning and add the fresh coriander.
Remove from the heat. Serve as a main dish with parathas or as an accompaniment.
*taken from the book ‘From Seed to plate’ by Paolo Arrigo, published by Simon and Schuster