Gobhi (Cauliflower) Musallam

Musallam dishes were popular or can say invented at the time of Awadhi/Muglai food era. Awadhi Nawabs liked Musallam dishes in their Kitchen. Most popular among Musallam dishes is Murg Musallam and Gobhi Musallam. Vegetarian people make Gobhi Musallam and Paneer Musallam.

Musallam literally means the whole (Chicken/Gobhi/Paneer) cooked with very rich and spicy gravy. This authentic musallam dishes used to cooked in very rich gravy made with dry nuts, seeds and cream. The whole (Chicken/Gobhi/Paneer) should be marinated for hours and then slow cooked in the spicy rich gravy for several minutes.

These Musallam dishes were considered a gourmet dish in the book of Mugalai cuisine Dastarkhwan-e-Awadh, where it is described as lending a certain majesty to the dastarkhwan. Akbar has mentioned musalla one of his Navratna Dishes in his book.

These Musallam dishes take time to get cooked but the end result of these musallam dishes are soul satisfying. You will truly fall in love with such dishes, if you are a true foodie. Here I'm presenting somewhat converted version of Musallam Dish, first because it's vegetarian and secondly because it's not done as per the authentic methods of Musallam Dishes.

This Gobhi musallam made me break my own rules of my eating regime. I do not go beyond 1 chapati in dinner but with this Gobhi Musallam, I ate 3 Chapatis and couldn't stop myself. Believe me, although it's cooked in JhatPat (Quickest) method of Musallam Dish, It's truly scrumptious. To my surprise, my kids were awed by it's softness and taste.

I would love to hear your experience of Musallam Dishes, specially Gobhi Musallam. Try this in your Kitchen and let me know, how your family liked it :) Don't forget to comment below. Until next time.......Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

Ingredients: 

Cauliflower                       - 1 medium size, leaves removed
Onions                              - 2 roughly chopped
Garlic                                - 5 cloves chopped
Tomato                              - 4 pureed
Ginger                               - 1/2 piece chopped and pureed with tomatoes
Green Chili                       - 2 chopped and pureed with tomatoes
Salt                                    - to taste
Kashmiri Red Chili           - 1 tspoon
Turmeric Powder              - 1/2 tspoon
Coriander Powder             - 1 tspoon
Amchoor                           - 1/2 tspoon
Cumin Seeds                     - 1/2 tspoon
Asafetida                           - a pinch
Oil                                     - 2 tblspoon
Fresh Coriander                - 1 tblspoon

Method:

Boil Whole Cauliflower  in salty water for 5-7 minutes, don't let it get very soft.
After 7 minutes, take it out of the water and dry on a kitchen towel/tea towel.
Shallow fry the Gobhi florets side down in a pan, until slightly golden crust over all side, move it holding it's stem.
Heat 1 tblspoon of oil in a deep pan. add onions and garlic, fry until golden brown.
Now make puree of Tomatoes, Ginger, Green chilies and friend onion garlic.
Add Red Chili, Coriander powder, Amchoor, Cumin seeds, Asafetida and turmeric powder to this puree and pulse for 1 more minutes in the grinder.
Now add this puree to the pan again and let it cook for 5 minutes until it leaves the oil in the sides of the pan.
Add 1/2 cup of water into this, mix well and place the fried whole cauliflower in the center of the gravy.
Cover the pan and let it simmer for 10 minutes on medium heat. Check in between, you do not want this to burn.
Once the gravy starts to dry up, switch of the flame.
Take out the Gobhi Musallam on a serving dish.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander, Salad and Fresh Cream (Optional).
Serve Gobhi Musallam with Parantha, Rice or Any choice of Naan.
We enjoyed eating Gobhi Musallam and it's half finished now......