Lajina Masala
Lajina Masala is the creator of Masala Spice Blends, and a teacher of Indian cuisine from corporate clients to adults, children and famillies.
Lajina’s Nutty Cauliflower and Broccoli
Lajina Masala
Effort:
Complexity:
Cost:
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp each of ginger and garlic, grated
1/2 tsp each of: cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and chilli flakes
1/2 tsp salt and a sprinkle of black pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 small head of broccoli, cut into florets
a handful of nuts of your choice (almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts)
Optional extras:
2 tbsp desiccated coconut, a handful of fresh coriander leaves, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a pinch of sugar, a small knob of butter, a pinch of garam masala, a fresh chilli
Veg Portions / Serving: 2
Recipe donated by Lajina Masala for Veg Power.
Lajina Masala shares a simple curried vegetable side dish that is easy to make and delicious to eat.
Method:
Heat the oil in a big pan, and fry the ginger and garlic over medium heat for 5 mins, adding splashes of water to stop them from burning. Add the spices, turmeric, salt, and tomato puree and cook for another 5 mins, again with splashes of water to form a paste (keep an eye on the mixture to make sure it does not stick – if it dries out, add a splash of water).
Add the raw cauliflower, broccoli and nuts or coconut, and simmer for a further 8 mins until the vegetables are tender – you may need to add another splash of water, just not too much as you don’t want the veg to turn to mush.
Finish with fresh coriander and fresh lemon juice, and check the seasoning, adding more salt & pepper if needed. You may like to finish with a small knob of butter too, and maybe a sprinkle of garam masala.
Engaging Kids
Kids who engage regularly with veg through veg-themed activities, such as arts and crafts, sensory experiences, growing and cooking are shown to be more likely to eat the veg they engage with. Encouraging kids to engage and play with veg is the handy first step to them developing a good relationship with veg and life-long healthy eating.
Kids in the kitchen
Show the kids how to carefully add the veg to the pan, and have them assemble and finish the dish by squeezing lemon juice over, chopping fresh coriander carefully with scissors and scattering over the curry, and sprinkling with garam masala.
Activities
While getting kids to interact with veggies for real and using their senses to explore them is best, encouraging hands off activities like arts & crafts, puzzles & games or at-home science experiments can be a great start, particularly for those who are fussier eaters or struggle with anything too sensory. Use these veg-themed activities as a stepping stone to interacting with the veg themselves. We have loads of crafty downloads here, puzzles here, and quirky science with veg here.
Sensory
Once you feel your child is ready to engage a little more, you can show them how to explore the veg you have on hand with their senses, coming up with playful silly descriptions of how a veg smells, feels, looks, sounds and perhaps even tastes. Find ideas, videos and some simple sensory education session ideas to get you started here.
Serving
The moments before food is offered can be a perfect opportunity for engagement that can help make it more likely a child will eat it! Giving children a sense of ownership in the meal can make a big difference to their feelings going into it and the pride they take in it. You know your child best, but if you aren’t sure where to start, we have some fun and simple ideas for easy roles you can give them in the serving process over here.
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