My sister sent me a similar recipe for a cauliflower dish that I mentally filed away as a quick and simple vegan dish to make with little fresh produce in the fridge. I culled various recipes for Aloo Gobi to find the right balance of spices to make this dish taste authentic. This is a great recipe for anyone looking to get started on Indian home cooking. Note that the addition of golden raisins is not part of the traditional recipes, but I added them to give the dish a sweet and chewy contrast to the warm spices.
Aloo Gobi is a very filling dish, especially when served over jasmine rice. I also like to serve it with a chickpea pancake (mix equal parts chickpea flour with water and add a dash of cumin and salt), or store-bought naan.
Aloo Gobi (Indian Potatoes & Cauliflower)
2 Tbs. coconut oil, ghee or canola oil
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4” pieces
1 tbs. fresh ginger, grated
1 lb. cauliflower florets (frozen)
1 – 2 cups water, as needed
½ C. frozen peas
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. coriander
dash cinnamon
¼ C. golden raisins (optional)
1. Heat medium dutch oven or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil or ghee until smoking, then add onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are deep golden brown and soft.
2. Add the garlic, potatoes and ginger; sauté until potatoes are slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add in spices (turmeric through cinnamon) and continue to cook, coating the potatoes with the spice mixture. Add cauliflower and water, then cover and simmer until vegetables are tender (about 5 minutes). Add peas and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until peas are soft and warmed throughout. Add additional water if needed, keeping a thick sauce on the vegetables. Season with additional salt and pepper and add golden raisins, if using.
