Aloo Gobi

Ingredients

• 350 g waxy potatoes (Scrubbed if dirty; do not peel)
• 1 red or yellow onion (Finely sliced; brown onion may also be used)
• 1 medium cauliflower (Leaves reserved if in good condition)
• 20 g fresh root ginger (Finely grated or chopped; the alternative measurement is grated ginger)
• 4 garlic cloves (Grated or crushed)
• 1.04 g plum tomatoes (Use 1 tin and reserve its juice, or use 5 fresh plum or medium tomatoes with tomato purée as specified)
• 2 tsp coriander seeds (Toasted, then ground)
• 4 tbsp neutral oil (Divided)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 0.5 tsp nigella seeds
• 0.5 tsp mild chilli powder (Adjust within this range)
• 0.5 tsp turmeric
• 1 green finger chillies (Use 1 to 4, adjusting for desired heat; slit lengthwise)
• 1 tsp salt (Plus a pinch for the ginger and garlic paste if desired)
• 1 tbsp methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 0.5 lime juice (Juice of ½ lime)
• 1 small bunch fresh coriander (Chopped, for serving)

Steps

1. 1

   Chop the potatoes into roughly 2½cm dice. There is no need to peel them, but scrub them first if they are dirty.

2. 2

   Peel and finely slice the onion.

3. 3

   Cut the leaves from the cauliflower, reserving any that are in good condition to add later. Trim and discard the base of the stalk, divide the cauliflower into bite-sized florets, and cut the remaining stalk into chunks about the size of the potato pieces.

4. 4

   Peel the ginger, then finely grate or chop it; the recipe should yield about 1 tablespoon.

5. 5

   Peel and grate or crush the garlic. Ginger and garlic may be mashed together in a mortar with a pinch of salt to make a paste.

6. 6

   Roughly chop the tomatoes. If using tinned tomatoes, reserve their juice.

7. 7

   Place a wide lidded pan over medium-high heat. Toast the coriander seeds until aromatic, then transfer them to a small plate.

8. 8

   Pour half the oil into the pan. Add the cumin and nigella seeds and fry for a few seconds, until they begin to pop.

9. 9

   Add the potatoes and sauté until lightly golden; they do not need to be fully cooked yet.

10. 10

    Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a large bowl, leaving as much oil as possible in the pan.

11. 11

    Add the cauliflower to the pan and sauté just until lightly colored. Transfer it to the bowl with the potatoes.

12. 12

    If using the cauliflower leaves, shred them, sauté them separately until wilted, and keep them in a separate bowl from the florets and stalk.

13. 13

    Reduce the heat slightly. Add the remaining oil and fry the onion until softened but not browned.

14. 14

    While the onion cooks, grind the toasted coriander seeds.

15. 15

    Add the garlic and ginger paste to the hot pan and fry, stirring, for a couple of minutes.

16. 16

    Stir in the ground coriander, chilli powder, and turmeric. Cook for about 30 seconds.

17. 17

    Add the tomatoes and tomato purée if using fresh tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the oil separates and beads around the edges of the pan.

18. 18

    Meanwhile, slit the fresh chillies lengthwise, using fewer or more according to your preferred level of heat.

19. 19

    Return the potatoes and cauliflower to the pan. Add the fresh chillies and salt, stir to coat everything with the sauce, and bring to a simmer.

20. 20

    Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes and cauliflower are tender. Stir occasionally so the curry does not catch; add a splash of water if necessary.

21. 21

    Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the methi, garam masala, and the sautéed cauliflower leaves if using. Cover again and leave to stand for 10 minutes.

22. 22

    Stir in the lime juice and check the seasoning, adjusting it as needed. Transfer the curry to a large bowl, scatter the chopped coriander over the top, and serve with rice or flatbreads.

Notes

The tomato ingredient is formatted in the source as a 400 g tin, with the alternative of five fresh tomatoes and tomato purée. Cauliflower leaves are optional: reserve, sauté, and add at the end if using.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• side dish
• vegan
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• Indian
• curry
• stovetop