Aloo Gobi
INDIAN · INDIA

Aloo Gobi

आलू गोभीSide

Dry-spiced potatoes and cauliflower, cooked until the edges catch and the cumin and turmeric smell like toasted earth. A proper Indian side: no sauce, no gravy, just sabzi done right.

Total
40 min
Heat
2/5
Serves
4

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Flavour profile

Heat
Funk
Acid
Richness
Umami
  • Nutty
  • Peppery
  • Savoury
  • Spicy

The real deal

Region
North India, the everyday dry sabzi of Punjabi home kitchens.
Technique
Bhuna: whole cumin cracked in hot ghee or oil, then potatoes and cauliflower tossed dry over a hot pan until the edges brown and the spice coats every piece.
We kept
Whole cumin, turmeric, ginger, green chilli and dried fenugreek; no cream, no tomato gravy, no water added to make it saucy.

Ingredients

4 Serves

sabzi

  • 500 g · waxy, peeled, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
  • 1 · small florets
  • 3 tbsp
  • 1 tsp
  • 15 g · peeled, julienned
  • 2 · slit lengthways
  • 1½ tsp
  • ½ tsp
  • 1 tsp

tempering

  • 2 tsp

finish

  • 1 tsp
  • 1 tsp · crushed between the palms
  • 1 tbsp · optional · or a squeeze of fresh lime
  • 30 g · leaves only, chopped

Method

  1. Peel and julienne the into fine matchsticks and slit the lengthways so the heat can escape. Chop the leaves. Peel the and cut it into 2.5 cm cubes, keeping them roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Break or cut the into small florets, keeping the tender inner leaves if you have them.

    Small florets matter: big ones steam while the potato is still raw, and you end up with a soggy sabzi.

  2. Heat the in a wide heavy pan over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the and let it sizzle until it darkens a shade and smells nutty, about 30 sec. Do not walk away: cumin goes from toasty to acrid fast.

    Wide pan, single layer of potato and cauliflower. Crowding steams the vegetables instead of browning them.

  3. Drop in the and , stir for a few seconds, then add the , , and . Stir to make a loose paste that smells warmly of turmeric.

  4. Tip in the potato and cauliflower and toss until every piece is stained yellow and slick with spiced ghee.

  5. Turn the heat to low heat, cover the pan and let the vegetables steam through in their own moisture for about 10 min. Lift the lid once to stir so nothing catches.

  6. Uncover, turn the heat to medium heat and keep tossing for another 8 min, until the potato cubes are tender enough to pierce with a knife but the cauliflower edges are browned and crisp in patches. All the water should be gone: this is a dry sabzi, not a curry.

    If anything sticks, splash in a spoonful of water, never more. Too much water and you lose the browned edges that make this dish.

  7. Kill the heat. Toss through the and , squeeze over the and scatter the chopped . Serve hot.

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