Diwali

Aloo Gobi

by:
July 28, 2015
4
3 Ratings
Aloo Gobi
Photo by A Brown Table
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Aloo Gobi (in Hindi: Potatoes Cauliflower) is one of the simplest Indian dishes to cook at home. If I remember correctly, we ate it almost once or twice a week growing up. Though aloo gobi originated in the northern region of Punjab in India, it’s a popular dish across the country.

There are many different ways to cook this dish, some include flavoring the oil with curry leaves, while others might include the addition of fresh tomatoes to provide a more sauce-like base. On those nights when you want to cook something easy yet hearty and flavorful, this might just be the recipe you want to turn to.

I’m sharing one of my favorite ways to prepare aloo gobi, which also happens to be the way I loved eating it as a kid. For me, it’s all about adding the peas. Technically, this would now be called aloo gobi mater, mater being the Hindi word for peas. The peas not only add a spot of color to the dish, but they also bring a fresh sweetness to the vegetables.

Traditionally, this dish is served with plain basmati rice or some type of Indian flatbread such as roti or paratha along with a little bit of plain unsweetened yogurt on the side. —Nik Sharma

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
  • 3 dried bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup red onion or shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon peeled and julienned ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala (you could go up to 1 teaspoon if you want a stronger flavor)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 cups halved baby potatoes
  • 3 cups cauliflower florets
  • 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
  • 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, freshly chopped
Directions
  1. Heat the ghee in a large wok or skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, drop the bay leaves and allow them to sizzle in the oil for 10 seconds.
  2. Add the onions and sauté until they start to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Then add the garam masala and ground turmeric and stir to cook for another 30 seconds.
  3. Fold in the potatoes and stir to coat them with the spices. Cook for 2 minutes with occasional stirring.
  4. Add the cauliflower to the wok and stir to combine. Cover with the lid and allow to cook for about 15 minutes on medium-low heat with occasional stirring, or until the cauliflower and potatoes are firm but just tender.
  5. Fold in the peas and salt and cover the wok with the lid and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, until the peas are tender. Remove the wok from the pan. Drizzle the fresh lime juice over the vegetables and garnish with the cilantro leaves. Serve hot with rice or an Indian flatbread such as roti or naan.
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Nik Sharma
Nik Sharma is a molecular biologist turned cookbook author and food photographer who writes a monthly column for Serious Eats and the San Francisco Chronicle and is a contributor to the New York Times. His first cookbook, Season: Big Flavors, Beautiful Food, was a finalist for a James Beard Foundation award and an International Association of Culinary Professionals award. Nik resides in Los Angeles, California and writes the award-winning blog, A Brown Table. Nik's new book, The Flavor Equation will be released in October 2020.

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8 Reviews

Desimealz
Desimealz September 21, 2021
Gobi Aaloo is one of my favorite Indian dishes. We make it very frequently. I will try this recipe for sure.
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AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames May 6, 2021
One of the best recipes on Food52. Period. ;o)
 
alme
alme July 31, 2017
I had half a cup of water between adding the cauliflower and putting the lid on. Keeps it from burning but also keeps it relatively dry.
 
Zahra
Zahra January 13, 2016
You need to add water at some point.. otherwise it is too dry and doesn't cook. I ended up adding two cups of water after I cooked the cauliflower. I ended up with blackened bits of onion..

Also, the amount of turmeric and garam masala called for in the recipe is too little. It turned out too bland for my palate.
 
Hannah
Hannah January 3, 2016
I've attempted this recipe but after adding all of the ingredients I was worried the spices were beginning to burn (I added some water/tomatoes to save the dish). How do you possibly cook the cauliflower/potatoes for 15-20 min without burning your spices?? Please let me know
 
Nancy
Nancy August 7, 2015
cooks up beautifully. Thanks.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames August 6, 2015
Excellent recipe. We all enjoyed this!! ;o)
 
Annie S.
Annie S. August 3, 2015
I lived in Southern India for three years and this was my go to lunch. It seemed to be universally available. Thanks for the reminder! I think I need to make this immediately.