Cauliflower shrimp curry and Tomato Dal

I was searching for recipes with cauliflower and shrimp. My mom never cooked cauliflower with anything but all by itself. So I grew up thinking that nothing can be mixed with cauliflower. But I got so bored with the one dish she used to make with Cauliflower that I stopped eating cauliflower for some time. But after I started to cook on my own I started searching for new dishes and I make them. Here is one of them

Cauliflower shrimp curry ( Shrimp and Cauliflower cooked in spicy coconut milk)

Cauliflower Shrimp Curry

Ingredients:

1. 12-15 large shrimp shelled and deveined
2. 1 medium cauliflower cut into florets
3. 1 cup reduced sodium chicken stock
4. 1 teaspoon instant coconut milk powder or 1 cup cocnut milk and only 1/2 cup chicken broth
5. 1 teaspoon each of ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder
6. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, chilly powder, cumin powder
7. 1 medium onion sliced thin
8. 2 tablespoons oil
9. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10. 1 tablespoons powdered roasted peanuts (optional)

In a pan heat the oil to hot and fry the shrimp for 1 minutes on each side. Drain and set aside. Microwave the cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl covered for 4 minutes (this step speeds up the cooking. thats all)
In the same pan place the onions and fry till they start changing color. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a couple pf minutes. Drain the cauliflower and fry it for 5 minutes. A add all the other ingredients except shrimp, stir to combine and simmer for 8 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer further 5 for minutes. If using peanut powder add it now and stir well to combine. Garnish with cilantro and lemon juice and serve with Tomato dal and white rice

Tomato Dal (Lentils with tomato and tamarind juice)

Tomato Dal

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup toor dal (dry roasted)
2. 2 large or 3 medium tomatoes sliced
3. 2 cups juice from one lime sized tamarind
4. 1 tablespoon oil
5. 1 garlic clove chopped
6. 1/2 teaspoon cumin, mustard seeds
7. 2 red chillies broken, few curry leaves
8. 1/2 teaspoon salt, turmeric, chilly powder

In a pressure cooker cook the dal along with 2 cups of water and turmeric and the sliced tomatoes for 4 whistles. Let all the steam escape, open the cooker and mash the dal. Add the tamarind juice and bring it to a boil and boil for 5-7 minutes. In a pan heat the oil and fry the garlic for a minute. Now add cumin and mustard seeds and fry till they start to splutter. Add the dried chillies and curry leaves and fory for a couple of minutes. Add this to the dal and all the other ingredients and boil for 5 more minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot