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Aloo Gobi
Serves 4 Prep 15 min Cook 30 min Total 45 min Type Side Origin Indian

Aloo Gobi

North India's everyday dry curry: chunks of potato and cauliflower pan-fried with cumin, ginger, garlic, turmeric and a quick tomato sauce.

Serves 4 Prep 15 minutes Cook 30 minutes Units Rate

Overview

Cumin seeds bloom in hot oil; chopped onion is fried until gold; ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, chilli and coriander toast briefly; tomato softens into a quick sauce. The potatoes go in first (they need longest), the cauliflower follows; both cook covered until tender, stirred occasionally. Garam masala and chopped coriander at the end.

Ingredients

  • 500 g floury potatoes (peeled, cut into 3 cm chunks)
  • 1 cauliflower (medium, cut into florets, about 600 g prepared)
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (or ghee)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 onion (medium, chopped)
  • 1 thumb fresh ginger (grated)
  • 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 1 green chilli (chopped, optional)
  • 2 tomatoes (medium, chopped) or 4 tablespoons passata
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 3 tablespoons fresh coriander (chopped)

Method

Stage 1 - Tempering

  1. Heat the oil in a wide heavy pan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add cumin seeds; sizzle 10 seconds.
  3. Add onion; fry 7 minutes until pale gold.
  4. Add ginger, garlic and green chilli; cook 1 minute.

Stage 2 - Spices and tomato

  1. Add turmeric, coriander and chilli powder; toast 30 seconds.
  2. Add chopped tomato; cook 4 minutes until soft and the oil splits.

Stage 3 - Potatoes

  1. Add the potato chunks; toss to coat in the masala.
  2. Sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon salt.
  3. Cover; cook on medium-low 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are half-cooked.

Stage 4 - Cauliflower

  1. Add the cauliflower florets; toss gently to coat.
  2. Splash in 80 ml water if the pan is dry.
  3. Cover; cook another 10 minutes, stirring carefully, until the cauliflower is just tender and the potatoes are cooked through.
  4. Uncover; cook 3 minutes more if the pan is wet - the dish should be dry, not saucy.

Stage 5 - Finish

  1. Stir in garam masala.
  2. Scatter fresh coriander.
  3. Taste; adjust salt.

Stage 6 - Serve

  1. Plate hot. Eat with roti, paratha, or as part of a thali.

Notes

  • Dry curry: Aloo gobi is a sukhi sabzi (dry vegetable). It shouldn't pool gravy. If yours is wet, cook off uncovered.
  • Cauliflower size: Florets of 3-4 cm cook in the right time. Big chunks stay raw at the centre; small florets disintegrate.
  • Floury potato: Use floury (Maris Piper, King Edward, Russet). Waxy potatoes hold shape too well - the curry should have some give.

Storage

  • Refrigerate 3 days; reheats well in a covered pan.
  • Doesn't freeze well - the potato turns mealy.

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