This Aloo Gobi Sabzi is for me. I know, I know, that sounds terrible. But it is.
It is so hard to cook like someone else, but for people like me who grew up only eating their mothers cooking so much of our sense of what food ought to taste like comes from mama. The other day I had this sudden craving for Aloo Gobi, but truth is I had never made it before and I have had several versions of it which I do not like very much. So I took a risk, called my mother and this is the recipe she gave me. And it works. Mama Jafri, bless her heart, isn't necessarily the most accurate recipe relayer - often times when I would complain about how something didn't turn out well she would say "oohhh... but if you wanted to make it really good then you should have..."
Like on what planet am I aiming to cook mediocre food?
Anyway, points to Mama J on this one.
The reason I say this one is for me is this: I cannot afford to lose it. And if I scribbled it down on a piece of paper somewhere then I most certainly would. Seemed best to put this Aloo Gobi Sabzi recipe out in the internet-verse where others can have access to it as well.
Three Tips for the BEST Aloo Gobi Sabzi
This is such a simple recipe, but I find that there are three differences between great aaloo gobi and decent aaloo gobi.
1.) Great Aloo Gobi is well seasoned.
Because the potatoes go in first and get that first round of steamed spice cooking they tend to absorb the flavours beautifully. When your cauliflower is done and you eat them together the cauliflower feels like a let down. The fix is simple - sprinkle your cauliflower with a little salt before adding it OR when you are adjusting seasoning at the end then taste a piece of potato and a piece of cauliflower together before making adjustments!
2.) Saute the moisture out of the masala.
In this Aloo Gobi Sabzi a good chunk of the flavour comes from the jamminess of cooked down tomatoes. To acheive optimal flavour you have to cook excess water out i.e. bhunn. As the water cooks out of the tomatoes the oil will rise above your masala mix and then you're in business.
3.) Fresh is best
I use ginger and garlic paste most often with this dish, but for extra oomph there is nothing like fresh ginger and garlic!
Hope you enjoy this simple home style dish as much as we do! Do rate the recipe below!
If you are looking for some more vegetable dishes here are some of our favourites!
Potato and Cauliflower cooked in simple spices with tomatoes
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ cup onion, finely diced
- 3 cups potatoes diced into 2 cm pieces
- 2 cups cauliflower (half a small one)
- 2-3 chopped tomatoes
- 5-6 cloves garlic or 1 tsp garlic paste
- ½ tsp ginger paste of freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ⅓ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- ¾ tsp salt (minimum)
- 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 3 sliced green chilies (or adjust to taste)
- a squeeze of lemon juice
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Heat oil in a saute pan and add the cumin seeds, cook for 30 seconds
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Add your onions and cook on medium high heat till the edges start to turn golden
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Reduce the heat a little and add the ginger and garlic
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Saute for a 30 seconds and add the ¾ tsp salt and spices. If they start to stick immediately add a small splash of water
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Now in go your tomatoes, mix them with your spice base and cook on medium high heat stirring often until the excess water sautes out and you are left with a rich spice paste with oil rising above it (i..e bhunna)
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Stir in your potatoes and cover the dish. Let them sit on medium high heat for a minute then turn the heat down and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes will break with mild pressure but are not totally soft.
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Add the cauliflower, mix well and keep medium low heat until cooked through. This depends on how big your florets are. It usually takes me 15 minutes.
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If at any point the veggies start to stick/burn add a tiny splash of water but not too much.
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When the vegetables are cooked through taste a piece of cauliflower and potato together and adjust seasoning (I always add more salt at this stage)
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Turn the stove off, top with the garnishes and cover for a minute or so to infuse aromas. Eat with chapati or naan.
So instead of us meeting for a playdate, you do this and I sit in boring office talking about client issues 🙁 going to make this in the next day or 2 will let you know 🙂
Please do 🙂
I miss my mama's cocking all the time. We just never measure up, do we?!
I love aloo-gobi, like you said there are numerous versions of it. I make a slightly more curried dish. Yours looks lovely. Shall try it soon 🙂
Hopefully through our blogs our kids will always know how to cook like mama! fingers crossed 🙂 Is yours on your blog? Would love to try it
True that!
I don't have the recipe on the blog, but it is very similar to this one with mushroom and peas. Like I said, I do a more curried version.
http://happyandharried.wordpress.com/2013/09/13/mushroom-peas-masala/
I'm Canadian but I love these foods and I'm going to try this tonight. I just wanted to let you know that where you miss your mama's cooking, you accidentally put a naughty word in by spelling cooking wrong. you have a 'c' in the the third place. I don't know if you can change it....just thought I would let you know.
Laurel
It looks so tempting! I went through an aloo gobhi phase when I was in school. I ate only aloo gobhi everyday for quite some time....lol. Yep...It does taste heavenly with lemon 🙂
That's such a healthy thing to eat every day! You know unlike me... when I go through phases its usually pizza or ice cream lol
Hahaa.... I seem to be in an ice cream phase these days...lol. Will try your aloo gobi recipe Tom! Take care.
Yum, yum, yum! I love cauliflower and I love the word florets, I'm weird like that!
hahaha me too. I was pinning all these recipes for a while because they used the word florets in their description!
The best compliment I ever received for my cooking was "it tasted just like Amma's" Cooking and eating is such a sensory experience, isn't it? And so laden with elusive memories.
I make a very similar aloo gobi, just more gobi and less aloo;and sometimes a handful of peas. 🙂 and ever since I saw Bend It Like Beckham, the name aloo gobi has become synonymous with the movie.
Aruna I love you!!! I was dying to make a bend it like beckham reference in this piece but didnt know how many people would get it!!!!
🙂 🙂
we make it the same way too! Aloo gobhi is my absolute comfort food. I can have it with anything... roti, rice and even a slice of bread. A big thumbs up to your mom 🙂
🙂
Aaah, I'm all too aware of the infamous post-its with mom's recipes lol!
This looks great! I didn't grow up eating many sabziyaan, mostly because my father is a true karachiite and loves meat, but as of the past few years my tastes have been evolving and I'm growing to love veggies. One of my friend's mom makes AMAZING allu gobi, and I've been pulling at her to give me the recipe, but it's one of those "andaza" recipes. Yours looks very similar to that! Yeeeee so excited! 🙂
stupid andaza. I hate it. lol. let me know if you try this 🙂
wow, i love aloo goby and i think this aalu gobi is totally must try!!!
ps: your photograph is stunning too my friend!!!
Thank you so much!! SO glad you stopped by 🙂
One of my all time favourite... You version looks gr8!
Thanks Divya!!!!
Being the fan of both aloo and gobi, this dish is kinda winner for me. Thanks for sharing another great cuisine! 🙂 xx
You are always so sweet! 🙂
Ahhhh this is one of my favorite dishes EVER. I need to make it asap! Thanks for sharing your mom's recipe 🙂
thanks for stopping by Lu!!!
My first time to make/eat aalu gobi, but since I'm eating a whole food plant based diet, I had all the ingredients on hand! Very yummy - I cut the recipe in half and cooked with no oil. Thanks!
Thank you so much for trying this Janet and I am SO SO happy you enjoyed it!!!
I just made this. Great recipe - tasty and great the second or third day!
Awesome! That's great to hear - thanks for letting me know 🙂
i usually get take out at our Indian restaurant but wanted to learn how to cook Indian food myself. All I can say is "Dee-ee-ee-licious"!!! I cooked with coconut oil. I'm vegan and this dish is definitely a recipe I will frequently use. I'm even having it for breakfast today! Thanks for sharing and I'm looking forward to cooking your other recipes. Take joy!
Mary Lou! Thank you thank you thank you both for drying this recipe and for taking the time to share your thoughts! You have made my day 🙂
Deelicious! Thanks for the helpful conversational style. So many recipes assume you will know to do certain things at the right moment - not!! Funny how we try to live up to family standards. Many years ago in Scotland my Aunt Agnes was the family baker par excellence. After sampling my first few attempts she told my mother "She'd better marry well for she's no hand wi' the pastry." I didn't bake again for years!
your story made me laugh out loud! I think Scottish families must display the frankness of Pakistani ones. My aunt whose a plastic surgeon would regularly tell me "it's a pity we can't do anything about your small eyes".
thanks for sharing and for your comments. Both made me really happy 🙂
Tried this recipe last night. It was fantastic!
Thats great! thank you for letting me know! am thrilled 🙂