I finally finished reading Personalities on the Plate: The Lives and Minds of Animals We Eat by Barbara J. King, a touching book about the sentience of animals ranging from octopuses to chimpanzees.  She says “In the end, pain is pain” whether or not animals feel the pain exactly as we do.   In each chapter, she focuses on one animal – insects, fish, octopuses, chicken, cow and so on.   Of all the chapters, the one that fascinated me the most was the one on octopuses.

We all justify what we eat using cultural, social, health and sometimes religious reasons.  And having being brought up a vegetarian, and not a vegan, it is hard for me to eschew yogurt and ghee, two ingredients which are near and dear to every South Indian’s heart.  While I now know how cows are treated on commercial dairy farms (yes, even those that carry the “organic” label), it is still hard for me to completely give those up.   So far be it from me to stand on my soapbox to preach, however Barbara J. King puts it quite well when she says that her book “is an invitation to see clearly who we eat, and our connections with animals who, in their different ways, experience the world with awareness and intention.”   A reducetarian movement – consciously reducing one consumption of animal products, would greatly benefit the animals, the planet, and ultimately us, she says.

 

 

After finishing that rather intense book, I was in no mood to cook anything elaborate for the series on brassicas.  So this recipe is a rather simple South Indian style stir fry curry.   Most South Indian vegetable curries are rather simple compared to the North Indian counterparts which usually involve some form of dairy, aromatics like garlic, and heavy spices.   For South Indian vegetable curries, all it takes is a touch of oil, some mustard seeds, turmeric, and grated coconut for garnish.  This general recipe can be used with a variety of fresh vegetables, like green beans, broad beans, okra, cabbage, and even vegetables not typically found in South India like broccoli.

 

 

I used a combination of cauliflower, potatoes and peas – cauliflower being our featured brassica this time.  Contrast this method of preparation with the typical “aloo gobi”  that is found on menus of Indian restaurants across the US, a rather heavy preparation with onions, garlic and various spices.

 

 

Recipe for a Simple Cauliflower Curry with Grated Coconut

[Printable Recipe]

Serves 3 people or 2 people generously as a side dish

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil or regular vegetable oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Optional – 1 sprig Curry leaves (you can find fresh or frozen curry leaves in an ethnic Indian grocery store)
• 3 small potatoes, washed and cubed
• 1 medium cauliflower, washed and cut into bite-sized florets and pieces (don’t waste the stem)
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 1 tsp organic turmeric powder (I buy mine from the spice bin at Whole Foods)
• 1 tsp red chili powder / cayenne powder
• Salt to taste
• 4 Tbsp grated coconut (you can find freshly grated coconut in an ethnic Indian grocery store in the frozen foods section – alternately, use dried unsweetened shredded coconut)

Method:

• Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat and add the mustard seeds
• When the mustard seeds start sputtering, lower the heat and add the curry leaves if using
• Add the cubed potatoes and toss to coat in oil.  Then sprinkle a few drops of water and close with a lid
• After about 5 minutes, add the cauliflower and frozen peas, then add turmeric, toss and cover with a lid
• It may take another 10 minutes for the cauliflower and potatoes to cook.  But test after around 7 mins to make sure the vegetables are not over-cooked by inserting a sharp knife through a small piece of potato.
• Once the vegetables have cooked, add the red chili powder and salt to taste and mix
• Switch off the heat
• If you are using frozen coconut, add it to the pan, close with a lid and allow it to thaw in the heat of the pan and then mix.  If using fresh or dried shredded coconut, simply mix it in
• Enjoy hot as a side with rice

 

 

Growing up, vegetable preparation like this was featured very often on the plate, alongside rice and a lentil-based stew.  Yogurt also was part of the plate always.  Comfort food to me even now is white rice mixed with yogurt with a piece of lemon pickle on the side, as it is for millions of South Indians.  (Fortunately for V, he is not very much in to it).   Giving up yogurt was not easy, but I have greatly reduced our consumption of yogurt and milk.   Barbara J. King quotes Michalel Pollan in her book and he captured it best when he says “Eat Food.  Mostly Plants.  Not Too Much”.