Categories: Garam Masala TuesdaysIndian

Aloo Gobhi for GMT

When I got married, my mom gave me a small diary with a few handwritten Indian recipes she thought I would find useful. I had never cooked indian food before I got married, so when I did start cooking once I came to the US, these recipes came very handy. One of the recipes in the diary was for aloo gobhi- a spiced potato and cauliflower indian dish. A favorite of many and a relatively easy and no hassle dish to prepare.

My mom is in Canada these days. She came to Canada to spend some time with my grandparents, since they were both very ill. She could not meet my grandmother before she passed away but was able to spend some time with my grandfather. She stayed on to spend time with her brother and his family in Canada and tomorrow she comes to visit and stay with me for a month. The other day when I was talking to her she mentioned that she had made aloo gobhi for lunch and since I had not cooked this dish in a while I thought of making it today. It also gave me an opportunity to click pictures and post a recipe for Garam Masala Tuesdays.

I have tweaked the original recipe a little after making it several times to suit my liking. In the original recipe, my mom did not mention kasoori methi, but I like the added flavor that it brings to the dish. You can leave out the kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) if you cant find them but they are easily available at any indian grocery store. So is amchoor powder (dried mango powder), but if you can’t find it, use lemon juice.

Aloo Gobhi : Spiced cauliflower and potato

Recipe Type: sides, vegetarian, vegan, gluten free

Cuisine: indian

Author: Shumaila

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 3-4

Spiced cauliflower and potato. A vegan, gluten free indian side

Ingredients

1 potato, peeled and cut into 1inch (or smaller) cubes
1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 green chillies, finely chopped (or to personal preference)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves/optional)
1 tsp amchoor (dry mango powder)
salt, to taste
fresh cilantro/coriander leaves , chopped

Instructions

Put the chopped potato and cauliflower in a pot of water, and wash well. When ready to add to the cooked masala, drain the water out and add the potatoes and cauliflower. You can also fry them in a little oil before adding it to the cooked masala.
In a large enough pot or wok, add oil and let heat over medium high heat. Add the cumin seeds and let the seeds sizzle.
Add the chopped onions and cook till translucent. I generally add 1/2 tsp of salt during this stage, so that onion weeps and the moisture prevents the onion from burning. This is a trick that I learnt from a friend's mom who told me by doing so you can get away with using little oil.
Add the green chillies and ginger and cook till the raw ginger smell cooks away- a minute or so.
Add the turmeric and cook for 30 seconds or so.
Add the chopped tomato and cook on medium low heat for 18-20 minutes. If required add a tbsp of water after a few minutes to prevent the masala from sticking. Cook till oil separates.
Add the drained cauliflower and potatoes and coat the vegetables with the cooked masala. Season with salt and add the chopped cilantro. Cover and let cook on medium low for 10-15 minutes or till the potatoes and cauliflower are cooked.
Remove lid, and add the amchoor powder, fresh cilantro leaves and dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi). Mix, check seasoning and take off heat. Serve warm with roti, or any other flatbread.

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