Varsa's Aloo Gobi
Aloo (Hindi for ‘potatoes’) Gobi (‘cauliflower’) is a classic Indian dish. This recipe is courtesy of Varsa, one of our colleagues at Spice Trekkers. She uses cabbage (‘small gobi’) in place of cauliflower. She prepares this dish on a regular basis for our staff dinners and we always come back for seconds.
Ingredients
- 1 large head green cabbage
- 5 medium potatoes (approx. 12 oz.), peeled and rinsed
- 8 Tbsp corn or other vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp Brown Mustard Seeds
- 2 Teja or cayenne whole chilies
- Salt, to taste
- 1 can tomato paste or 6 medium roma tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp Garam Masala, ground
- 3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
Spice paste
Method
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1
Core the cabbage and discard the rough outer leaves. Shred the cabbage into two-inch lengths. Rinse and dry well and set aside.
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2
Cut the potatoes into quarters lengthwise and then into quarters crosswise. In a bowl, combine the cabbage with the potatoes. Set aside.
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3
In a food processor or with a mortar and pestle, grind the garlic, green chilies and the ginger into a paste. Transfer the paste to a small bowl and add all the ground spices except for the garam masala.
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4
Heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds with whole red chilies. Add mustard seeds and fry gently until they begin to pop. Add ginger-garlic-spice paste and fry for 10 seconds. Add cabbage and salt to taste and stir well.
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5
Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, uncovering and stirring every few minutes until the potatoes are cooked. The potatoes should be easy to break in half with a wooden spoon.
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6
Add tomato paste or tomatoes and stir well.
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7
Add garam masala, stir well and continue cooking until the mixture begins sticking to the bottom and the vegetables become soft and flavorful (approx. 5-10 minutes).
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8
Check salt and adjust if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with cilantro.
