Fulkopi bhapa aka fulkopi vapa is one of the most popular Bengali veg recipe during winter. It is renowned for its extraordinary flavour and irresistible taste. In this preparation, cauliflower florets are fried and then steamed with poppy seeds-mustard paste with some chillies and a splash of mustard oil. Fulkopi vapa recipe is a flavoured niramish recipe and is mostly relished with hot steamed rice.
Table of Contents
About the recipe
Health Benefits of Cauliflower
How to make Phulkopi bhapa (step wise photos)
Recipe Card
About the recipe
In my childhood days, Fulkopi bhapa was considered a winter recipe because fresh and fleshy fulkopi aka cauliflowers were only available in winter during those days. But now a day’s cauliflower is easily available throughout the year in many places in India. So now people can enjoy the delight throughout the year.
Phulkopir vapa recipe is a niramish recipe aka vegetarian recipe prepared without onion and garlic. So it can be prepared on vegetarian days and puja occasions. Bengalis are scrupulous about vegetarian food and they split it into two different parts. One division is called satvik food where onion, garlic and even masoor dal are prohibited along with non-vegetarian items. In another division, normal vegetarian dishes are prepared using onion and garlic. Onion and garlic are considered rajasik food which produces heat in our body and inflames our passion and incomprehension.
Whenever I talk about phulkopi bhapa, it always makes me feel nostalgic. As a bong, I have grown up eating this delight every year and have never got bored with it till now. I still remember how my mother used to prepare it and serve it mostly as a side with plain rice and we used to devour that with eternal pleasure. I have learned this Bengali veg recipe from her.
Fulkopi bhapa is a very simple and easy recipe. It requires minimal ingredients which are regularly used in the Bengali kitchens to get prepared. It gets prepared very easily without investing much time and effort. In fact, you require significantly less preparation time for the bhapa recipe Bengali. Mostly Bengalis prefer Fulkopi vapa with hot steamed rice, but it can also be taken as a side with rotis, luchi and parathas.
Fulkopi bhapa with step-by-step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. If you follow the step precisely then you will get the perfect fulkopi vapa recipe. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share a few interesting things about ‘Cauliflower’.
Benefits of Cauliflower
- It is a good source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
- It is full of fibre which is good for our digestive system.
- It contains antioxidants which help to get rid of many chronic diseases.
- Cauliflowers are low in calories and can be a great friend on your journey for weight loss.
- It is a good source of sulforaphane which decreases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
How to make Phulkopi bhapa?
To prepare fulkopi bhapa, first cut the cauliflower florets into even pieces and wash them. Then marinate the cauliflower florets with salt and turmeric powder. Keep it aside.
On the other hand, soak yellow Mustard seeds and poppy seeds in warm water for 10-12 minutes. Then drain the excess water and transfer it to a jar of a grinder. Add some green chillies, water and grind it to a smooth paste.
Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add oil to the pan and wait until it is hot. Add the marinated cauliflower florets and fry them over medium flame for around 15 minutes until they lose their crunch and brown spots occur on them. Strain the cauliflower florets out and keep them on a plate.
Transfer the paste to a bowl and add some water to it. Add mustard oil, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder into the paste and mix it nicely.
Add the fried cauliflower florets into the bowl and mix it evenly so each piece gets coated with the paste.
Transfer the content to a steel tiffin box and add a few green chillies to it. Splash a little bit of mustard oil on the top and close the tiffin box.
Fill 1-2 inches of water into a kadai and put it on a high flame until the water starts boiling. Then turn the flame low and put the tiffin box very carefully into the kadai aka pan. Put on the lid of the pan and turn the flame to medium for 5 minutes. Then turn the flame to lowest for another 15 minutes. Switch off the flame and don’t disturb the pan for 10 more minutes.
Take off the lid of the pan and take out the tiffin box very carefully out of the pan. Open the box and stir it nicely. Now the fulkopi bhapa is ready to serve.
Many phulkopi recipes have already been shared in my previous posts. You can check a few of them like
Phulkopir roast
Fulkopi posto
Aloo phulkopir dalna
Phulkopir bora
..And Many more…
Ingredients:
1 cup = 250 ml
To marinate the cauliflower
- 1 medium Cauliflower (Phulkopi), cut into medium florets
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ teaspoon Turmeric powder
For the poppy seeds-mustard paste
- 1 tablespoon yellow Mustard seeds (Shorshe)
- 2 tablespoons Poppy seeds (Posto)
- 2 green Chillies
- Water to make a smooth paste
Other ingredients for Phulkopi bhapa
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- ⅓ cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Mustard oil to fry the cauliflower
- 1 tablespoon Mustard oil to cook the bhapa
Instructions:
- First, cut the cauliflower florets into even pieces and wash them. Then marinate the cauliflower florets with 1 teaspoon salt and ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder. Keep it aside.
- On the other hand, soak 1 tablespoon of yellow Mustard seeds and 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds in warm water for 10-12 minutes.
- Drain the excess water and transfer it to a jar of a grinder. Add some green chillies, water and grind it to a smooth paste.
- Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 1 tablespoon mustard oil into the pan and wait until it is hot. Add the marinated cauliflower florets and fry them over medium flame for around 15 minutes until they lose their crunch and brown spots occur on them. Strain the cauliflower florets out and keep them on a plate.
- Now transfer the paste into a bowl and add ⅓ cup water into it.
- Add 2 teaspoons mustard oil, salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder into the paste and mix it nicely.
- Add the fried cauliflower florets into the bowl and mix them evenly so each piece gets coated with the paste.
- Transfer the content to a steel tiffin box and add 4-5 green chillies to it. Splash 1 teaspoon mustard oil on the top and close the tiffin box.
- Fill 1-2 inches of water into a kadai and put it on a high flame until the water starts boiling.
- Turn the flame low and put the tiffin box very carefully into the kadai aka pan. Put on the lid of the pan and turn the flame to medium for 5 minutes. Then turn the flame to lowest for another 15 minutes. Switch off the flame and don’t disturb the pan for 10 more minutes.
- Take off the lid of the pan and take out the tiffin box very carefully out of the pan. Open the box and stir it nicely. Now the fulkopi bhapa is ready to serve.
Serving Instruction
Transfer the fulkopi bhapa to a serving plate or a serving bowl. Serve hot or warm to enjoy its best taste. Serve it as a side with steamed Basmati rice, dal and enjoy the authenticity of Bengal.
Ingredients
1 cup = 250 ml
To marinate the cauliflower
- 1 medium Cauliflower (Phulkopi), cut into medium florets
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ teaspoon Turmeric powder
For the poppy seeds-mustard paste
- 1 tablespoon yellow Mustard seeds (Shorshe)
- 2 tablespoons Poppy seeds (Posto)
- 2 green Chillies
- Water to make a smooth paste
Other ingredients for Phulkopi bhapa
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- ⅓ cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Mustard oil to fry the cauliflower
- 1 tablespoon Mustard oil to cook the bhapa
Instructions
- First, cut the cauliflower florets into even pieces and wash them. Then marinate the cauliflower florets with 1 teaspoon salt and ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder. Keep it aside.
- On the other hand, soak 1 tablespoon of yellow Mustard seeds and 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds in warm water for 10-12 minutes.
- Drain the excess water and transfer it to a jar of a grinder. Add some green chillies, water and grind it to a smooth paste.
- Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 1 tablespoon mustard oil into the pan and wait until it is hot. Add the marinated cauliflower florets and fry them over medium flame for around 15 minutes until they lose their crunch and brown spots occur on them. Strain the cauliflower florets out and keep them on a plate.
- Now transfer the paste into a bowl and add ⅓ cup water into it.
- Add 2 teaspoons mustard oil, salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder into the paste and mix it nicely.
- Add the fried cauliflower florets into the bowl and mix them evenly so each piece gets coated with the paste.
- Transfer the content to a steel tiffin box and add 4-5 green chillies to it. Splash 1 teaspoon mustard oil on the top and close the tiffin box.
- Fill 1-2 inches of water into a kadai and put it on a high flame until the water starts boiling.
- Turn the flame low and put the tiffin box very carefully into the kadai aka pan. Put on the lid of the pan and turn the flame to medium for 5 minutes. Then turn the flame to lowest for another 15 minutes. Switch off the flame and don’t disturb the pan for 10 more minutes.
- Take off the lid of the pan and take out the tiffin box very carefully out of the pan. Open the box and stir it nicely. Now the fulkopi bhapa is ready to serve.
