Aloo gobi done restaurant style! This one you have to try!
This aloo gobi recipe, a Cauliflower and potato curry, is delicious served as a side dish or main course.
The famous curry is hugely popular in India but here I wanted to give you the British version. This is just like the amazing aloo gobi curries you find at the best curry houses.
The recipe is slightly different to the original as a curry house style base sauce is used which gives the aloo gobi a smooth sauce that is to die for.
So good served with an cold beer!
How to get this aloo gobi recipe right…
So many of my vegetarian friends complain about the vegetarian dish selection at most curry houses.
That’s too bad because Indian vegetarian dishes are some of the best in the world.
When I hear this, I always recommend the aloo gobi which is on most menus. It isn’t just delicious, it’s filling too.
In order to make your aloo gobi better than what you get when you go out, it is essential that you use the freshest ingredients you can find.
It’s easy to make a meat dish taste good because of the natural flavours. Vegetarian curries need just the right spicing and of course the vegetables need to be spot on!
It is also very important that your spices are fresh. I highly recommend roasting and grinding your own spices as this isn’t done at most restaurants and you really will taste and enjoy the difference.
Why par-cook the vegetables?
Curry house style cooking was developed for speed, economy and of course delicious flavour.
Authentic aloo gobi would be cooked with raw potatoes and cauliflower and simmered until cooked through.
There’s nothing wrong with that but by adding par-cooked veggies to your curry, you can cook on a higher heat. In doing so, your base sauce with caramelise around the sides of the pan.
That caramelised sauce can then be stirred back in and the result is so good.
Working ahead…
Of course the par-cooking of the potatoes and cauliflower can be done a day or so ahead of serving.
This aloo gobi is meant to be cooked quickly so be sure to get all of your ingredients prepared before starting.
Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Fry until the seeds begin to crackle.
Stir in the cumin seeds and allow to infuse into the oil for about 30 seconds. Then add the chopped onions and chillies.
Fry the onions until soft and translucent. Then add the ground spices and tomato puree. Bring to a simmer.
Add a little base sauce and then top it up as needed. I usually use about 300ml (1 1/4 cup) base for this recipe.
Preparing the potato and cauliflower
Cut the potato and cauliflower into small pieces.
The cauliflower florets and potato pieces should be about the same size.
You want to cook these so that they are about 90% cooked through and then finish cooking them in the sauce.
Sometimes I simply steam them but I also like frying them or simmering them in a little base sauce.
Stir in the par-cooked potatoes and cauliflower and simmer until cooked through, adding more base when needed.
When the potatoes and cauliflower are cooked through, your aloo gobi is ready. Garnish with coriander (cilantro) and season with salt to taste.
If you like this aloo gobi recipe, you might like to try some of these too…
Saag aloo
Broccoli curry
Saag paneer
Onion bhajee curry
Mango lassi
Feel free to spice it up some with more chillies. Love it! You can also add more base sauce if you prefer more sauce.
Aloo Gobi - Restaurant Style
Ingredients
- 2 - 3 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 onion - finely chopped
- 2 - 3 green bird's eye chillies - finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- 1 tbsp mixed powder
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp amchoor powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 70ml (1/4 cup) tomato puree
- 300ml (1 1/4 cup) approx. base curry sauce
- 175g each of par-cooked potatoes and cauliflower
- 3 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. When visibly hot, add the mustard seeds. When they begin to crackle, add the cumin seeds and let these spices infuse into the oil for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the chopped onion and chillies and saute for about 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and ginger paste and stir well. You want to cook this for about 30 seconds to cook out the rawness. Then add the ground spices and tomato puree.
- Bring this all to a simmer and then stir in about a ladle of the base sauce. I usually use about 300ml (1 1/4 cup) for this dish which should be added in small amounts. Top it up when the curry is looking too dry.
- Stir in the par-cooked potatoes and cauliflower adding more base sauce from time to time to cook them through.
- When cooked through, season with salt to taste and garnish with the chopped coriander to serve.