Aloo Gobi (Potatoes & Cauliflower)

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes. Cooking time: 45 minute

Suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans

Serve piping hot with traditional wheat flour roti; a dal dish; rice and yoghurt (plant based if vegan)

Photos: Usha Gupta

Ingredients:

Tarka:

60ml of vegetable oil

1 tablespoon of cumin seeds

2 small onions, sliced finely,

100g tinned tomatoes or 1 medium/large tomato - skinned and chopped roughly

2 - 3 green chillies, chopped finely

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2 level teaspoons of salt

½ - ¾ level teaspoon of haldi (turmeric) - use the higher amount if using fresh tomatoes

½ level teaspoon of garam masala

Gobi Aloo:

I medium crisp cauliflower (approx. 850g without the outer leaves) cut into ¾ inch wide and 1½ inch long florets, rinsed and drained

400g new potatoes (or any other waxy variety) peeled, cubed (½ inch cubes) and rinsed

Handful of chopped coriander.

Method:

1. Heat the oil on medium heat until fairly hot (be careful with butter/ghee as these have lower smoking points). Add the cumin seeds and cloves and stir until they splutter (virtually immediately)

2. Turn the heat down to low/medium, add the onions and fry gently stirring occasionally until they soften.

3. Add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric, chillies, garlic, ginger stir. Continue to cook gently, ‘mashing’ the tomatoes until a paste like consistency forms. I use a potato masher.

4. Add the garam masala, stir and cook for a further minute or so or until oil oozes out of the paste when a wooden spoon is dragged along the base of the pan

5. Add the cauliflower florets and gently stir to coat with the tarka. Add the potatoes and again gently stir to combine.

6. With the lid very slightly ajar cook on low to medium heat stirring very gently occasionally by lifting the vegetables with a wooden spoon and turning them over gently. This is very important to avoid the Aloo Gobi becoming a ‘mash’ for 30 minutes until the Aloo and Gobi are cooked (test by passing a knife through each vegetable).

7. Remove the lid completely and turn the heat down a touch. Stir in the chopped coriander very gently. Allow any remaining moisture to evaporate until droplets of oil ooze out of the Aloo Gobi when the wooden spoon is dragged gently along the base of the pan through the dish.

8. Take off the heat. Serve piping hot garnished with fresh coriander leaves.