Raw or cooked, it’s good roasted
and it’s nutritious
By Gerald Etter
Botanically, cauliflower — that mass of creamy-white clusters of tiny flowers — is a green, leafy vegetable.
Although not quite as nutritionally rich as its sibling, broccoli, cauliflower is an excellent source of Vitamin C and potassium, and also offers some iron and zinc. The calorie-conscious should take note that a cupful of raw cauliflower has only 27 calories.
The name cauliflower translates to “cabbage flower.” Mark Twain must have known this, when he referred to cauliflower as “cabbage with a college education.”
You’ve probably noticed that cauliflower has been showing up at market not only as the traditional white veggie with which we grew up, but in such colors as green (often called broccoflower), purple and even orange. These colorful varieties have pretty much the same nutritional value and flavor, although some cooks feel the green variety has a milder and sweeter taste.
How to choose
Whatever the color, this versatile member of the cabbage family is available practically all year. However, its peak season is now through early January.
At the market, you usually find it cellophane-wrapped, which hides the vegetable’s natural beauty and also makes it a bit more difficult in making your selection. Do your best to select a head that has even color without dark spots or bruises. Leaves should be a vibrant green without tinges of yellow. And don’t worry about a few tiny leaves poking through the head; this won’t affect quality.
At home, refrigerate the cauliflower in a plastic bag, and consume within two to three days. Make sure to remove the leaves, and wash the florets well in cool water. Some cooks like to soak the head in cool, salted water first, which drives out any small insects.
How to prepare
When preparing the cauliflower into florets, slice off the root end and carefully hollow out the root from the center. This will allow you to break or cut the cauliflower into equal size florets.
Cooking time should be brief (steam or simmer five to 10 minutes) and remember, cauliflower can be eaten raw, as in a crudités with carrots, broccoli, celery, radishes, etc. Overcooking causes a mushy texture and loss of nutrients. Do not salt the cooking water; it tends to toughen the florets.
Cauliflower traditionally pairs well with rich, cheesy sauces, but is equally delicious as a side serving with nothing more than some salt, pepper and a bit of butter. A pound of cauliflower makes about four servings.
Here is a recipe for roasted cauliflower:
Roasted Cauliflower
1 head of cauliflower
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare cauliflower into florets as equal in size as possible. Place florets in ovenproof baking dish large enough to accommodate them in single layer. Sprinkle minced garlic equally over top. Drizzle lemon juice over florets. When drizzling olive oil, make sure each floret gets some oil (you can add a bit more oil if necessary). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Put casserole in preheated oven and cook uncovered until top is lightly browned, about 10-15 minutes (you can always test for doneness with fork). Remove from oven and sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese.
We love to eat where students eat because they’re friendly, cost-conscious and very, very hungry. That’s why Tandoor India has become a favorite of ours.
In the heart of the University of Pennsylvania area, it’s frequented by students, professors and oldies like us. Since it’s Indian, that guarantees a low-cost buffet with vegetarian and carnivorous sections.
We sat at a table near some Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania interns. Behind us, a woman and her grandchildren were enjoying the buffet. They recommended the Lamb Pishawry (lamb cubes, onion, tomato, mushrooms, ginger and green peppers, plus unnamed herbs and spices). We promised to try it if we ever got through some of our other favorites.
It sounds good, too
The restaurant is covered with red, white and blue tiles over a dark pink background, and is flooded with sunlight from several skylights surrounded by attractive hanging plants. The walls are decorated with imaginative Indian paintings.
And the restrooms are spotless!
We paid $7.95 (+7 percent tax) for the lunch buffet with a very welcome 10 percent senior discount (our gray hair finally proves its value). The bill for the two of us, including beverage and tip, was $20.30.
We usually try a bit of almost everything at a buffet, so here are our recommendations:
We always go for the Baigan Bharta, a whole eggplant cooked on skewers in a clay oven then chopped and mixed with tomatoes, onions, peas and spices. Here’s a confession: Although it’s delicious, we also like it because our son-in-law always laughs at the name — he loves the way the words roll off his tongue.
The Mulligatawny Soup is a must, although a little spicy for us.
We particularly liked the egg curry with its brown gravy and the Dalmaharani — a lentil dish with rice and a creamy butter sauce.
Deep fried + salad
One dish didn’t sound Indian, but looked good enough for us to try — Manchurian Vegetables. The combination of cauliflower and cabbage was irresistibly Indian in taste.
We usually avoid fried food but can’t resist the Samosas — deeply fried, mildly spiced turnovers stuffed with goodies like peas and potatoes.
To restore our healthy food balance a bit, we turned our attention to the lovely salad section of tomatoes, lettuce, onions and peppers followed by cut-up apples, grapes, cantaloupe and orange wedges.
Desserts memorable
Careful to take modest portions, we still had room for the Naan, a thin white bread; a tall glass of Mango Lassi (made with mango juice, milk and sugar — an extra cost item but well worth it) and some memorable desserts.
The rice pudding is sweetly aromatic and worth the calories, and the Pista Barfi is a true tasting experience. We’re not sure what goes into it, but what emerges is a heavenly cross between halvah and baklava.
When we paid our bill, we mentioned to the owner how much we enjoyed the Pista Barfi. He smiled, handed us a napkin and told us to take a few pieces home. What a lovely way to end the afternoon!
Tandoor India
106 S. 40th St. • 215-222-7122
Lunch buffet, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ($7.95 + tax)
Dinner buffet, 4 to 10 p.m. ($10.95 + tax)
Senior Discount: 10%
Open 7 days a week
Is there a terrific place near you to lunch with friends or linger over an early-bird dinner? A neighborhood bakery, bistro, deli, market, sweets shop or take-out joint?
If you have a suggestion for The Senior Snacker, please mail it to:
Senior Snacker, Milestones
PCA Communications Dept.
642 N. Broad St
Philadelphia, PA 19130-3409
Or e-mail:
milestones@hollistercreative.com