Aloo Gobi(Cauliflower Potato Masala)

This is not your everyday Aloo-gobi! Why, you would ask. My answer is: it’s my mom’s recipe when she makes vegetable biryani. So obviously it takes more efforts, more spices, and yes more oil to make this dish than our regular, every day aloo gobi dish.  It is complex yet simple stir fry of potatoes, cauliflower and all the add-ins with aromatic spices that we normally don’t use in our daily cooking. It is complex because the flavour combination is complex. I know every Indian household has its own Aloo gobi recipe that uses anywhere from 2-3 spice mix to 8-10 spice mix! I always encourage my co-workers who by large love Indian food to go to the Indian grocery stores and pick up a pack of garam masala powder, a pack of kasoori methi and a pack of amchur powder. Again Why? Because I believe they add the much needed ‘oomph’ to any Indian dish they are added to.

Now that Spring is already here, the food on our table has changed as well.  There is still some nip in the air here and there but mainly it is nice and sunny. No more dark, gloomy, cloudy days. On one such cold day this past week, when the air was so chilly, I made this dish. The aroma of whole spices roasting in oil and ghee filled the air in my kitchen. The warmth of those spices warmed up our souls! While the pot of these veggies was simmering on the stove, you only need to wait until it is done and you can put it on your roti, roll it up and gobble it up. This is kind of foods from our roots that we’ve gotta have it if we have gone for Italian, Mexican or any other cuisine!

Cauliflower Potato Masala

Ingredients

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 large onions, sliced

1-2 whole cinnamon sticks

3-4 cloves

1 tbsp whole black peppers

2 bay leaves

1-2 black, large cardamom

3-4 green cardamom

2-3 whole red chilies

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

2 large tomatoes, cubed

¼ cup ginger-garlic paste

2-3 green chillies, chopped

Red chili powder, turmeric powder as per taste

Salt per taste

¼ cup oil

1 cup cauliflower, separated into florets

½ cup potatoes, cubed

¼ cup peas(I used frozen)

½ cup eggplants, cubed

How to:

Heat oil in a large pot.

Add cumin seeds, whole spices and onions.

Cook till onion is golden brown.

Now add tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, green chilies, powdered spices and saute till oil floats on the top.

Now add all the vegetables and salt.

At this point, add little bit of water if the spices are sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Lower the heat, cover the pot and simmer till veggies are cooked and the spices have coated the veggies.

Enjoy with hot naan or rotis.