Aloo gobi is an Indian vegetarian dish made with potatoes (aloo), cauliflower (gobi) and Indian spices. I also added peas, tomatoes and the usual ginger garlic paste.
I think aloo gobi was the first Indian dish I ever cooked when I got married. It’s very easy to assemble all the ingredients, making it a good introduction to Indian cooking. First, a paste is formed from the spices, and then the vegetables are cooked in the paste until soft. Even though children may not love cauliflower, it is actually a kid-friendly dish. I’ve found it’s a great way to get my little munchkin to eat her vegetables. I just reduce the number of chiles, and serve it with a warm roti (flat Indian bread). Today I made it for us big kids, so I served it with basmati rice.
If you’re looking to try your hand at Indian cuisine, this is a great place to start!
1. Info for Aloo Gobi Recipe
- Cook Time: unavailable
- Total Time: unavailable
- Servings: 8
- Calories: unavailable
2. Ingredients for Aloo Gobi Recipe
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 whole cauliflower
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ½ yellow onion
- 4 whole peeled plum tomatoes (canned), cut into large chunks
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 dried red chile, stemmed
- 3/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1-½ teaspoons garam masala
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon dried mango powder
- 1-½ teaspoons honey
- 4 fresh curry leaves, torn in half
- ½ cup frozen peas
3. Directions:
- Par-boiling the potatoes (see tips): Wash the potatoes and place them whole in a large pot (no need to peel them). Fill it with 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 9-10 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, remove the skin. Cut them into large chunks.
- 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 white vinegar. Stir well. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain.
- In a large non-stick pan, heat the 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 the whole dried red chile, red chili powder, ginger garlic paste, curry leaves and garam masala. Add the tomatoes and 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 mango powder and honey. Cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes until fork-tender. Remove and discard the red chile.
- Last, add the peas. Cook for about 5 minute, 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.
- Serve warm with kebabs, butter chicken or tandoori chicken and basmati rice.
- Bon appétit!