What is aloo gobi?

Aloo gobi (alu gobi) is a classic Indian vegetarian dish with potatoes and cauliflower.  It is usually cooked with some spices and with onion and tomatoes.  This potato cauliflower curry is a quick and easy comforting dish served in Indian restaurants as a side dish or with paratha, naan, or jeera rice.

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How to make aloo gobi 

Here is my easy aloo gobi recipe. I will explain how to prepare my version of aloo gobi in detail.  

1. Shallow fry the potatoes and cauliflower 

• Cut the cauliflower into about 1.5-inch florets and the potatoes into 0.75-inch cubes. They will take longer to cook if you cut them into larger pieces and absorb less flavor from the onion and tomato paste. Soak the potato cubes in water to prevent them from changing color if you do not use them immediately. 
• Fry the potatoes in shallow oil until slightly brown, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes. Since I do not use plenty of oil, I must stir continuously to avoid the potatoes sticking to the pan. 
• Add the cauliflower florets when the potatoes turn slightly brown and fry for another 3 minutes. 
• Remove the potatoes and cauliflower from the pan and drain the oil with a  wire mesh strainer.

2. Cook the spice and onion paste 

• Add some oil that we used to fry the potatoes in the last step to a large pan. Saute the chopped onions over medium heat until translucent and start to caramelize. 
• Transfer the onion to the blender. Add the chopped tomatoes and a small amount of water to blend until it becomes a paste. Set aside. 

3. Dum cook the potatoes and cauliflowers

• Pour some oil into the frying pan. Fry some cumin seeds over low flame until it crackles, then add the chopped green chilies, ginger, and garlic. Continue stir-fry over low heat until aromatic. 
• Now return the tomato-onion paste to the pan. 
• Add the fried potatoes and cauliflower florets. Season them with turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. 
• Cover the pan with a tight lid and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes and cauliflowers are soft and tender. 
• Season with salt. 
• Finally, add some coarsely chopped coriander leaves. Mix well. 
• Dish out and served. 

Here are some tips and suggested variations you can use to cook the aloo gobi

1. Deep-fried the potatoes and cauliflower

There are three options for cooking the cauliflower and potatoes. Deep-fried potatoes and cauliflowers yield the best result but also need plenty of oil. This method is best used in restaurants. 

Another cooking method is to fry the potatoes and cauliflower in a pan with shallow oil. I use this method in this easy recipe, and I think it is the most practical choice if we cook it at home. The result is quite similar to deep-frying, but the cooking may not be as even as deep-frying. 

The last method is to skip frying, which is the healthiest alternative.  In this case, cooking the potatoes and cauliflower will take longer to become tender and soft. 

2. Cook the potatoes first and add the cauliflower later 

It takes longer for the potatoes to cook through than the cauliflower. The cauliflower becomes soggy by the time the potatoes are soft if you start cooking them together. We want the cauliflower to be slightly crunchy, not soggy. 

It is best to cook the potato for a few minutes before adding the cauliflower.  By doing so,  both vegetables will be cooked to the right doneness and at the same time. 

3. Prepare the ginger-garlic-chili paste

You may want to blend the fresh ginger and garlic and the green chili to form a paste. Ginger-garlic paste is regularly used in different Indian cuisine. It is worth making the paste in bulk if you cook Indian food regularly since keeping up to a week or two in the refrigerator is good. Otherwise, you can finely chop the ginger, garlic, and green chili separately.

4. Blend the onions and tomatoes

I blend the tomatoes and onions because I prefer a smooth texture. You may coarsely chop both of them and add the potatoes and cauliflower. Whether you intend to bland the onions, saute them until they start to caramelize will add flavor to the aloo gobi. 

5. Add the tomatoes after the potatoes are partially cooked

If you are not deep frying the potatoes, cook some until there are partially cooked before adding the tomatoes. The potatoes need a longer time to cook until soft and tender if you add the tomatoes from the beginning. It does not matter if you have deep-fried or shallow-fried the potatoes in advance.

This project has proved that an acidic pH of water (caused by the tomato) will produce firmer-boiled potatoes, while an alkaline pH will result in softer-boiled potatoes.

6. Cook the potatoes in the pan with a tight lid

If you cover low heat with a tight lid, their moisture cooks the potatoes and cauliflower. The steam trapped by the lid helps to cook them instead of depending only on the stove’s heat. 

7. The aloo gobi masala

I want to make the flavor less complicated by using only turmeric powder, chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder, and salt. These are the basic seasonings for many Indian dishes. The aloo gobi recipe can include bay leaf, cinnamon, and cloves.  You can also add some hing and kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) to make it tastes more intricate. 

Other aloo gobi variations 

Aloo gobi can be made with or without tomatoes and onions. Some aloo gobi recipes even omit garlic and green chili. While there are specific reasons, I prefer adding fresh tomatoes or onions to this vegan recipe. Otherwise, you can make the dry version without the tomatoes and onions.

Note: You can include other ingredients in your aloo gobi recipe that aren’t included here. Lime or lemon juice adds a touch of tanginess, and yogurt will impart a creamy texture. Also, cumin powder is a perfect substitute for cumin seeds.

Aloo gobi is a popular Indian dish in many Indian homes. It is also a staple on Indian restaurant menus, loved by people for its delicious flavors and comforting texture.

Related recipes to aloo gobi

Here are some related recipes to this classic Indian dish that you may be interested in. Although all curry recipes taste differently the ingredients, herbs, and spices differ.

Dal Tadka is the most delicious dal, in my opinion. It involves specific ingredients available only in Indian grocery or online stores.  It may not be the easiest recipe, but the taste and aroma are worth the time and effort spent.
If you like aloo (potatoes), Dum Aloo may be the best vegetarian recipe that you should try. The allure of dum aloo lies in the plethora of spices that transform the potatoes into a melting pot of flavors.
Lamb curry. This lip-smacking curry is just delicious layered upon delicious. It is a hybridized curry that leans heavily on Indian origin and is perfumed with a unique blend of Malaysian curry powder.