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    Home Β» Pakistani Recipes Β» Aloo Gobi Sabzi Recipe - Pakistani

    Aloo Gobi Sabzi Recipe - Pakistani

    Jul 15, 2014 Β· Modified: Nov 22, 2020 Β· by Sarah Mir

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Jump to the Aaloo Gobi Recipe

    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 Β 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.

    Aaloo Gobi picture, glass in background, roti on plate with the sabzi

    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 aΒ  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! 

    Aaloo Gobi on a plate with chapati and some lemon segments

    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!

    a white plate with lightly charred green beans
    Green Bean Sabzi
    Bhindi Masala Pakistani
    Bhindi Masala
    Soya Aloo
    Soya Aaloo
    Print Recipe
    5 from 8 votes

    Aloo Gobi Sabzi

    Potato and Cauliflower cooked in simple spices with tomatoes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Pakistani
    Keyword: Aaloo Gobi, Gobhi Aaloo
    Author: Sarah Mir

    Ingredients

    • ΒΌ cup oil
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • Β½ 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
    • Β½ tsp ginger paste of freshly grated ginger
    • 1 tsp red chili powder
    • β…“ tsp turmeric powder
    • Β½ tsp coriander powder
    • ΒΎ tsp salt (minimum)

    Finishing Touches

    • 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
    • 3 sliced green chilies (or adjust to taste)
    • a squeeze of lemon juice

    Instructions

    • Heat oil in a saute pan and add the cumin seeds, cook for 30 seconds
    • Add your onions and cook on medium high heat till the edges start to turn golden
    • Reduce the heat a little and add the ginger and garlic
    • Saute for a 30 seconds and add the ΒΎ tsp salt and spices. If they start to stick immediately add a small splash of water
    • 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)
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • If at any point the veggies start to stick/burn add a tiny splash of water but not too much.
    • 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)
    • Turn the stove off, top with the garnishes and cover for a minute or so to infuse aromas. Eat with chapati or naan.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Radha says

      July 15, 2014 at 11:30 am

      So instead of us meeting for a playdate, you do this and I sit in boring office talking about client issues πŸ™ going to make this in the next day or 2 will let you know πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 15, 2014 at 12:44 pm

        Please do πŸ™‚

        Reply
    2. Anjana @ At The Corner Of Happy & Harried says

      July 15, 2014 at 12:46 pm

      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 πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 15, 2014 at 3:08 pm

        Hopefully through our blogs our kids will always know how to cook like mama! fingers crossed πŸ™‚ Is yours on your blog? Would love to try it

        Reply
        • Anjana @ At The Corner Of Happy & Harried says

          July 15, 2014 at 3:28 pm

          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/

          Reply
      • Laurel says

        May 16, 2016 at 5:26 pm

        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

        Reply
      • Aamina Mian says

        April 09, 2021 at 9:11 am

        Hi my name is Aamina and have been living in the US for 46 years. My Amma cooked Aloo Gobi all the time at home. Her recipe was similar to Sarah's recipe, but she added the following ingredients to Sarah's recipe.
        One small gobi [ cut into small florets]
        2 small potatoes [diced]- In Urdu, we call potato "Aloo"
        2 medium size chopped onions
        1 teaspoon crushed garlic
        1 teaspoon crushed ginger [add after stir frying both the gobi and aloo]
        2 medium size chopped tomato with seeds
        1 medium size finely chopped green pepper
        1/2 cup of plain yogurt

        Spices:
        1 teaspoon salt [leveled]
        1 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes
        1/2 teaspoon Turmeric [Haldi]
        1 teaspoon ground Cumin
        1 teaspoon Kalonji [ Nigella seed]
        1 teaspoon Shan Vegetable Masala

        then follow the same directions as Sarah gives you in the recipe above.
        Good luck!

        Reply
    3. radhikasethi says

      July 15, 2014 at 1:59 pm

      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 πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 15, 2014 at 3:08 pm

        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

        Reply
        • radhikasethi says

          July 15, 2014 at 3:14 pm

          Hahaa.... I seem to be in an ice cream phase these days...lol. Will try your aloo gobi recipe Tom! Take care.

          Reply
    4. Faaiza.O says

      July 15, 2014 at 7:41 pm

      Yum, yum, yum! I love cauliflower and I love the word florets, I'm weird like that!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 15, 2014 at 8:31 pm

        hahaha me too. I was pinning all these recipes for a while because they used the word florets in their description!

        Reply
    5. Aruna Panangipally says

      July 15, 2014 at 9:10 pm

      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. πŸ™‚ and ever since I saw Bend It Like Beckham, the name aloo gobi has become synonymous with the movie.

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 15, 2014 at 10:09 pm

        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!!!!

        Reply
        • Aruna Panangipally says

          July 15, 2014 at 11:05 pm

          πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚

          Reply
    6. Namrata says

      July 16, 2014 at 1:17 am

      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 πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 16, 2014 at 8:57 am

        πŸ™‚

        Reply
    7. MyNinjaNaan says

      July 16, 2014 at 7:37 am

      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! πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 16, 2014 at 8:57 am

        stupid andaza. I hate it. lol. let me know if you try this πŸ™‚

        Reply
    8. dedy oktavianus pardede says

      July 21, 2014 at 12:04 pm

      wow, i love aloo goby and i think this aalu gobi is totally must try!!!
      ps: your photograph is stunning too my friend!!!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 21, 2014 at 3:50 pm

        Thank you so much!! SO glad you stopped by πŸ™‚

        Reply
    9. Divya @ Yum'e'licious says

      July 21, 2014 at 1:46 pm

      One of my all time favourite... You version looks gr8!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 21, 2014 at 3:49 pm

        Thanks Divya!!!!

        Reply
    10. Sadaf F K. says

      July 21, 2014 at 3:07 pm

      Being the fan of both aloo and gobi, this dish is kinda winner for me. Thanks for sharing another great cuisine! πŸ™‚ xx

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 21, 2014 at 3:49 pm

        You are always so sweet! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    11. Lu @ SuperNummy says

      August 18, 2014 at 9:44 am

      Ahhhh this is one of my favorite dishes EVER. I need to make it asap! Thanks for sharing your mom's recipe πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        August 18, 2014 at 3:48 pm

        thanks for stopping by Lu!!!

        Reply
    12. Janet says

      May 16, 2016 at 9:38 am

      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!

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        May 16, 2016 at 5:52 pm

        Thank you so much for trying this Janet and I am SO SO happy you enjoyed it!!!

        Reply
    13. Sara Hage says

      May 17, 2016 at 3:44 pm

      I just made this. Great recipe - tasty and great the second or third day!

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        May 17, 2016 at 9:09 pm

        Awesome! That's great to hear - thanks for letting me know πŸ™‚

        Reply
    14. Mary Lou says

      May 18, 2016 at 6:40 am

      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!

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        May 18, 2016 at 2:45 pm

        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 πŸ™‚

        Reply
    15. Eileen says

      June 06, 2016 at 12:30 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        June 06, 2016 at 9:32 pm

        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 πŸ™‚

        Reply
    16. Floyd Jones says

      June 08, 2016 at 2:15 pm

      Tried this recipe last night. It was fantastic!

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        June 08, 2016 at 4:55 pm

        Thats great! thank you for letting me know! am thrilled πŸ™‚

        Reply
    17. Beth says

      February 27, 2022 at 1:33 pm

      This is amazing! I've made it twice this week πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • Sarah Mir says

        April 04, 2022 at 7:27 pm

        Woohoo!!! I am THRILLED to hear it!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Sarah! Welcome to Flour & Spice, the foodie world of a Pakistani origin Canadian mama of two whose busy life and love for food means practicality reigns supreme! I love baking (duh!), my readers (extra duh!), reading, coffee, singing loudly slightly off key, and aprons.

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