Alu Gobi – Curried Potatoes and Cauliflower with Green Peas

Comforting and classic this is recipe is something that has many fans, it is perfect for family nights.

It is also good for company. The soft absorbent potatoes feature wonderfully as a soft backdrop against the mild just slightly crunchy mellow taste of the cauliflower. This is a well tested duo in Indian cooking that has met the test of both taste and appearance.

This friday I made a batch of these with a little more variation than my usual variation of this dish that skips the tomatoes and onions. This is closer to a more classic version. We have some leftover that will work well for tonights dinner with I plan on eating with luchis (Indian puffed breads). This particular version is closer to the North Indian variation and has a nice thick soft sauce formed from the tomatoes and the spices well seasoned by the flavorful cilantro that I had picked up from the farmer’s market this weekend. We were also suprised at the depth of flavors that the simple potatoes afforded.

Alu Gobi – Curried Potatoes and Cauliflower with Green Peas

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 35-40 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients

1/4 cup of oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 medium red onion, cut into a dice

2 teaspoons minced ginger

3 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into eights

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1.5 teaspoons salt

1 head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces

3 tomatoes, cut into a dice (or 1 cup canned organic diced tomatoes)

1/2 cup green peas

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. In a heavy bottomed pot, heat the oil on medium heat for about 1 minute and add the cumin seeds and wait till they sizzle.

2. In about 20 seconds, add in the onions and the ginger and saute lightly for about 4 minutes, until the onions are soft and begining to turn pale golden.

3. Add the potatoes, turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chili powder and the salt and mix well, and cook for 1-2 minutes until the spices begin to smell fragrant.

4. Turn the heat to low and cover and cook for about 6-7 minutes until the potatoes are about half way done.

5. Add in the cauliflower and  tomatoes and mix well. Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a steady simmer.

6. Cover and cook the curry undisturbed for about 15 minutes. Remove the cover and stir well.

7. Add in the green peas, reduce the heat to low and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables are nice and soft and coated with a nice thick sauce.

8. Turn off the heat and mix well.

9. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Cauliflower