Aloo Gobi Masala

     When I was in India, we had never used cauliflower in our cooking. If it is in restaurant too, we ate cauliflower dishes unwillingly or simply avoided. The reason for avoidance that I could remember is the fear of worms !!! But after having come to USA, being deprived of so many greens (keerai) and couple of other good vegetables available in India, I had to slowly get accustomed to including cauliflower in cooking. Hence now I am going in search of recipes to try with this vegetable.

Prep Time: 10 mins || Cook Time: 20 mins (boiling potato & cauli) + 25 mins || Serves: 3 || Category: Side-dish for roti/chappathi/phulka

Ingredients:
1. Potato - 1 big 
2. Cauliflower - 12-15 florets
3. Turmeric powder - 2tsp
4. Salt - as required
5. Oil - 3 tbsp
6. Jeera (cumin seeds) - 2 tsp
7. Green chillies - 2
8. Onion - 1
9. Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
10. Tomato - 1
11. Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
12. Kashmiri chilly powder - 1 tsp (optional)
13. Garam masala - 2 tsp
14. Jeera powder - 1 tsp
15. Kasoori methi - 1 tbsp
16. Ginger - few strands (julienned)

Method:
1. Cut potato into medium sized cubes and cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Immerse cauliflower in a solution of turmeric powder, salt and water for 10 mins and then filter and wash the florets. 

 2. Cook potato and cauliflower for just 1 or 2 whistles with sufficient water. (I cooked in a steamer for 15-20 mins). 

 3. Flash fry (very quickly deep fry in hot oil) the cooked potato and cauliflower in hot oil to give a crispy outer texture. (I sauted the cooked veggie in just 2 tbsp of oil in a pan as I wanted to minimize the use of oil). In a pan add oil, 2 tsp jeera. Once they splutter, add 2 slit green chillies, finely chopped onion. When it starts to turn golden brown, add ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 mins. 

 4. Then add chopped tomato, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, kashmiri chilly powder, garam masala, jeera powder and mix well. Saute for 2 mins and add required water and salt. Meanwhile soak kasoori methi in water for few mins.

 5. Once the onion tomato mixture turns into a gravy consistency, add the fried potato and cauliflower and toss well. Before switching off the flame, add the soaked and squeezed kasoori methi to the gravy and give a stir. Serve hot, topped with julienned ginger.

Suggestions:

• Adding Kashmiri chilly powder is optional. I have added it to give a good colour to the gravy.
• Flash frying or shallow frying the cauliflower and potato helps to maintain the texture and consistency of the vegetables. It is optional.

Tastes great with roti/phulka/poori and also as a filling for sandwich.