Aloo gobi is an Indian vegetarian dish made with potatoes (aloo) and cauliflower (gobi). I gave a little twist to the dish by using purple cauliflower and Peruvian purples, which are Fingerling-sized, purple-tinted potatoes. Except for these changes, the recipe remains the same.
The lilac color from the cauliflower slightly fades once it’s cooked, but it’s still a great addition of color to the Indian dish. It stokes curiosity and brings a new experience to the dinner table. I’ve made the same recipe using orange cauliflower and sweet potatoes in the past, and it also worked quite well.
Now, I’m off to test carrot purée using Okinawan sweet potatoes and purple carrots. I’ve been having way too much fun with this!
1. Info for Aloo Gobi Recipe with Purple Cauliflower and Potatoes
- Cook Time: unavailable
- Total Time: unavailable
- Servings: 6
- Calories: unavailable
2. Ingredients for Aloo Gobi Recipe with Purple Cauliflower and Potatoes
- 1-¼ pounds Peruvian Purples (or any other potatoes)
- 1 whole purple cauliflower
- juice of a lemon
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 (1-inch) chunk fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1-½ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3 fresh curry leaves, torn in half
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
3. Directions:
- Par-boiling the potatoes: Wash the potatoes and place them whole in a large pot (no need to peel them). Add cold water until the potatoes are barely covered. It’s important to start with cold water so the potatoes cook evenly. Bring to a boil, add 1 teaspoon of salt and reduce the heat to medium-high (if you cook the potatoes at a roaring boil, they might fall apart). As soon as the water reaches a boil, cook for about 6-8 minutes. Test, using a fork; the potatoes should be slightly tender but still firm (not fully cooked). Remove from the pot. Drain the potatoes thoroughly and let them cool a little (do not rinse). Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle and have dried completely, gently remove the skin using a paring knife. Cut them into thirds.
- To cut the head of the cauliflowers into florets, remove and discard the stem and the green leaves. Cut into wedges from the bottom. Pull and separate the small florets manually.
- Place the florets in a bowl, cover them with water and add the juice of half the lemon. Stir well. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain.
- In a large non-stick pan, heat the olive oil, add the onion and cook until slightly golden. Transfer the onions to a plate. Add more oil if necessary. Wait until the oil is really hot, almost at the smoking point. Add the cumin seeds and reduce the heat to medium-low. When the cumin seeds start popping (after 5-10 seconds), add red chili powder, 1 teaspoon of julienned ginger, ginger garlic paste, the curry leaves and garam masala. Add the tomato sauce and about ¼ cup of water; stir until the mixture forms a thick paste.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the cauliflower and turmeric powder and cook for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes. Sauté by tossing the saucepan to prevent the potatoes from breaking. Add about 2/3 cup of water, the rest of the lemon juice and sugar. Cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes until fork-tender.
- Uncover the pan, add the remaining julienned ginger and continue cooking about 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent the vegetables from burning at the bottom of the pan. Adjust seasoning. Season with more salt (if necessary). Cover and let stand until ready to serve.
- Garnish with cilantro.
- Serve warm with kebabs and basmati rice.
- Bon appétit!
