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Gulpi
گلپی (gulpi): Afghan home-style cauliflower cooked down with tomato, ginger, garlic and turmeric
Gulpi is what an Afghan family cooks on an ordinary weeknight in Kabul or Jalalabad when cauliflower is cheap in the bazaar, and it is set on the dastarkhan, the cloth spread on the floor for meals, alongside rice or naan and a bowl of yogurt. The florets are fried until they catch a little colour, then simmered in a thick, turmeric-yellow sauce of onion, tomato, ginger and garlic until soft enough to break with the side of a spoon, with just a gentle heat from chilli. Many cooks stir in a few potatoes or peas, and some add a small piece of meat, but it is often fully vegetarian. Adding too much water is what spoils it: the cauliflower should steam in the tomato, not boil, so the sauce clings to every floret. Chef's tip: let the florets brown properly in the oil before anything else goes in, which gives the dish its nutty, slightly sweet depth.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 ¾ lb cauliflower1 head, cut into medium florets
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 cm piece fresh gingergrated
- 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 /2 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 ripe tomatoesgrated, skins discarded
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup water
- 1 green chillislit
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide lidded pan over a medium-high heat, add 1 ¾ lb cauliflower and fry for 5–6 minutes, turning now and then, until the florets are patched with gold. Lift them out onto a plate.
6 minStep 2: Turn the heat to medium, add 1 onion to the same oil and fry for 6–7 minutes until soft and light brown.
7 minStep 3: Add 3 cloves garlic and 2 cm piece fresh ginger and stir for 1 minute until the raw smell goes.
1 minStep 4: Stir in 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground coriander and 1 /2 tsp red chilli powder for a few seconds, then add 2 ripe tomatoes and 1 tsp salt.
Step 5: Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the tomato has thickened to a paste and oil shows at the edges.
5 minStep 6: Return the cauliflower with ½ cup water and 1 green chilli, stir to coat, cover and cook over a low heat for 10–12 minutes until a floret breaks easily with a spoon.
10 minStep 7: Uncover and cook for 1–2 minutes more if there is any loose liquid, so the sauce clings. Scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve with rice or naan.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gulpi take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cauliflower?
- Broccoli, same weight.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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