One of the most popular recipes across India and Pakistan is Aloo Gobi. In my version, potatoes and cauliflower are roasted to golden perfection before being tossed in a deeply flavorful, warm, and slightly tangy masala. It’s hearty and nourishing while still being budget-friendly, easy to make, and naturally vegan.
Step-by-step instructions
Cut the potatoes into 1-inch chunks/cubes. Cut the cauliflower into small-medium sized florets.
Roast the vegetables. Lay the potatoes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle them with some oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper, then toss to combine.
Add the cauliflower to a second baking sheet (without parchment, for better browning). Season with oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast both pans until the cauliflower and potatoes are starting to brown in some spots and feel tender, but not soft.
Prepare the masala while you wait. Heat some oil in a deep sauté pan. Once it shimmers, add the cinnamon stick and cumin seeds. Toast and stir until they darken in color and the cumin seeds start dancing in the pan.
Now add the onions.
Once the onions are golden brown, add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, and asafoetida. Stir frequently for 1-2 minutes.
Stir the amchur, coriander, chile powder, serrano pepper, tomatoes, salt, and pepper into the pan.
Let the mixture simmer until the tomatoes have almost melted into the masala.
Now add in the roasted cauliflower and potatoes.
Gently stir to coat the veggies in the masala. Cook for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally to make sure every piece is well coated and cooks evenly.
Crush the kasuri methi with your hands. Stir them into the pan, along with the garam masala and vegan butter.Turn off the heat and let the aloo gobi rest for 5 minutes.
To finish, stir in the cilantro and the lemon or lime juice. Season to taste with more salt and/or garam masala. Discard the cinnamon stick and enjoy!
Tips for making this recipe
Use these helpful recipe tips to make the best version of this Indian side dish or main:
Make a trip to your Indian market.
Unless your pantry is already stocked with Indian spices, I highly recommend visiting your local Indian grocery store. It’s the best place to find spices you might not already have, and you’ll be able to make the best possible version of this dish. Plus, they’re so much more affordable than your standard grocery store!
Remember to look for amchur powder during your visit, as it’s commonly used in aloo gobi. My favorite online spice brand, Burlap & Barrel, also sells a fantastic amchur powder grown on a family farm in the most famous mango-growing region of India.
Roast the veggies on two sheet pans.
I know it’s tempting to shove both the cauliflower and potatoes onto the same sheet pan, but an overcrowded pan leads to steamed (AKA sad) vegetables. Giving the veggies room to sprawl out on their own pans allows for the heat to circulate around each piece, leading to beautifully browned and tender vegetables.
Go gentle on the spiciness
Most of the heat in this dish comes from the serrano pepper. To avoid overwhelming this dish, I just make a small slit in the pepper instead of dicing it up and sauteeing it like usual. However, if you don’t like spicy food at all, omit it.
If you like spicy food, make an even bigger slit. This really brings the heat! I love spicy food but I still prefer to use a small slit so the heat isn’t overpowering.
For extra richness, add a little butter
Vegan butter, of course! Stirring in a knob of butter when you add the garam masala and fenugreek leaves adds an indulgent mouthfeel to the finished dish.
0 Comments