Aloo Gobi

Ingredients

• 400g waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold or Charlotte), peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes
• 1 medium cauliflower (approx 600g), broken into small 3cm florets
• 1 medium white onion (approx 150g), finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 x 2cm knob fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 tbsp (30ml) neutral oil
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
• ½ tsp whole mustard seeds
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• ¾ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Smart Substitutions

• ↔Replace potato with sweet potato for a higher vitamin A and slightly sweeter profile
• ↔Add 100g frozen green peas in the final 5 minutes for extra protein and a pop of colour

How to Cook

1. 1

   Heat oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add cumin and mustard seeds. When they splutter and pop, add the diced onion and cook until lightly golden, stirring occasionally.

   7 min

   Wait until the mustard seeds are truly popping (sounds like light rain) before adding the onion — this fully develops their nutty flavour. If they just sit in the oil, they taste bitter and raw.

2. 2

   Add garlic and ginger. Stir for 60 seconds until fragrant. Add turmeric, ground coriander, and chili powder. Stir constantly for 30 seconds to bloom the spices in the oil. Add the potato cubes and toss until every piece is coated in the spiced oil.

   5 min

   Coating the potato in turmeric-oil before covering not only colours them beautifully but the oil helps transfer heat evenly to the dense starch.

3. 3

   Reduce heat to medium-low. Add a pinch of salt, cover tightly with a lid, and cook. Shake the pan every 5 minutes. Resist adding water — the potato and cauliflower release their own steam which cooks everything.

   15 min

   No water is the secret of aloo gobi — adding it makes the veg mushy and watery. The closed lid traps the vegetables' own moisture and creates a natural steam environment.

4. 4

   Add the cauliflower florets and toss to coat. Re-cover and cook, shaking the pan every 3–4 minutes, until the cauliflower is just tender and the potatoes are soft with slightly caramelized edges. Remove lid, add garam masala, lemon juice, and fresh coriander. Toss and serve.

   12 min

   Adding cauliflower after the potato has a 10-minute head start ensures both cook to the same doneness simultaneously — cauliflower takes about 12 minutes, potato about 25 total.