
My last Boston Organics Box included a head of cauliflower - the most perfect one I have ever seen. It was huge and entirely unblemished - no brown spots or wilting of any sort. I wanted to do it justice. Since I am getting very tired of roasting vegetables (I think it is a cook's cop out - there is nothing easier) I decided to be a little more creative. The first thought I had was (no, not that I want wine) Aloo Gobi. This dish is on the menu at every North Indian restaurant on the planet (really, I checked). Aloo = potato, Gobi = cauliflower in Hindi. I know about 10 words in Hindi and they are all food items. I also know how to say "fat," as in person. Go figure.
There are many versions of Aloo Gobi. The one I went with is in the Indian cookbook Archna bought (see below). I was so incredibly proud of myself - I actually had all the ingredients I needed for this dish on hand. For someone who usually only has a water filter and beer in the fridge, this was a momentous occasion.
The recipe was super easy. It started as many Indian dishes do, by toasting cumin seeds in oil.



Aloo Gobi, from Food of the World, India by Beverly LeBlanc. (I didn't make her name up. That's really the name of the woman who wrote this Indian cookbook. Is that prejudiced of me? Like I said, this may be the white girl edition but it is still a great cookbook, in this white girl's opinion).
Just in case it is not obvious, the comments in italics are mine, and not those of Beverly LeBlanc.
Serves 4-6
4 tbsp ghee or vegetable or peanut oil (I may know how to say "fat" in Hindi, but there is no way I am going to cook with ghee. I draw the authenticity line at ghee. I used vegetable oil.)
1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 fresh green chili, seeded and thinly sliced (seeding chilis is for weaklings. No, I did not seed the chili.)
1lb cauliflower, cut into small florets
1lb large waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks. (I used baking potatoes [organic, of course] instead of waxy ones, like Yukon Gold. It made no difference.)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp salt (that is a complete lie. I used at least 3 times that amount. You will have to taste as you go along.)
Fresh cilantro sprigs, to garnish
1. Add oil to skillet over medium high heat. Add cumin seeds and toast for about 30 seconds until they crackle and start to brown.
2. Immediately (it really says immediately in the book. very funny) stir in the onion, ginger, and chili and stir for 5-8 minutes until the onion is golden.
3. Stir in the cauliflower and the potatoes, followed by the coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and salt and continue stirring for about 30 seconds longer (If you stir for 40 seconds, it will still be ok, I promise. This woman sounds like a disciplinarian).
4. Cover the pan, reduce heat to the lowest setting, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Occasionally check that they are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir in water, if necessary.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
~AK
Looks downright fucking tasty. And the pics are amazing too. I have not licked the screen yet though, at least not here in lab.
ReplyDeleteAnthony, there's more where that came from, just so you wait for the Arctic Monkeys...
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