
Shuchi cooks with the heart of a poet. Banker turned…
Shuchi Mittal serves a healthy warm salad for the chilling winter days.
By Shuchi Mittal
I experimented with cauliflower in an attempt to use up all the left over vegetables in my fridge- before heading off on holiday. The result- this beautifully brown and charred mince of colorful veggies, warmed to perfection. It’s great on its own, and is a complete meal on its own. The steaming smell of roasting cauliflower was rather welcome on this cold winter day.
- ½ cauliflower, finely chopped
- ¼ cup green peas
- ½ cup mixed peppers, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 gherkins, sliced lengthwise
- 1 teaspoon curry powder (or any mixed Indian masala)
- 1 teaspoon dry mint powder
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Heat the oven to 250 degree C.
- Heat oil in a pan. Layer the ingredients- onion, then cauliflower, then tomatoes, then peppers and then the peas.
- Sprinkle a few drops of water, salt & pepper and turn to medium flame.
- Cover and cook till all the vegetables have lost their crunch but are not overcooked.
- Transfer to a baking tray, put the gherkins on top and sprinkle with lemon juice and mint powder.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes till the cauliflower is charred and begins to brown. Be patient here as the ‘burnt’ taste adds much to the flavour of this simple salad
- Serve immediately with warm bread & soup. A healthy and wholesome meal!

Shuchi cooks with the heart of a poet. Banker turned chef, she runs the 29. Private Kitchen in NYC focusing on social tasting events, dining experiences and small-scale private events. Using simple & wholesome ingredients, she likes to re-invent homemade Indian flavors into modern tapas & small plates. Her dream? To cook, feed, write, and eventually open her own communal dining cafe - with a published recipe book on the stands.