Marginally different from the preceding dish, but enough so that I thought its inclusion worthwhile, Gobi Taktakin is a dish made on the streets of India, where they use knives to mince the cauliflower as it sautés on huge flat griddles. (The dish’s onomatopoeic name alludes to the tak-tak-tak sound of two knives simultaneously mincing and tossing the cauliflower as it sautés. To spare your pans the extra wear, it’s better to chop the cauliflower in advance.) Best with homemade curry powder or garam masala. Cumin seeds add a nice crunch, and cilantro adds a fresh note at the end, but neither is essential. Other vegetables you can prepare this way: broccoli, potatoes, carrots, turnips, radishes.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　3 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil

　　1 tablespoon cumin seeds, optional

　　1 small red onion, finely chopped

　　1 medium head of cauliflower, about 1 1/2 pounds, broken into florets and very finely chopped

　　1 tablespoon curry powder, preferably homemade (pages 592–593), or garam masala (page 594), or to taste

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　Pinch of cayenne

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

　　Lime wedges for serving

　　

Step 1

Put the oil in a nonstick skillet wide enough for the cauliflower to fit into in one layer and place over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the cumin seeds if you’re using them, let them fry for 30 seconds, then add half the onion and all the cauliflower. Add the curry powder and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook, stirring or tossing, until the onion has caramelized and the florets are lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Add the cilantro to the pan, toss once, and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with the raw onion and serve hot or at room temperature, accompanied by lime wedges.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.