Make authentic homestyle Aloo Gobi with this easy step by step recipe. This is the kind of aloo gobi I grew up eating on everyday basis- made with simple ingredients, hearty and super comforting, especially when paired with a bowl of jeera rice and my favorite dal tadka. In my opinion, this Indian potato and cauliflower dish perfectly encapsulates what Indian home cooking is all about.
Aloo gobi (which literally translates to potatoes and cauliflower) must be one of the most popular vegetarian Indian dishes that’s made across the country. However, the point to be noted here is that there’s no one way to make it and every home has its own way of making it.
In my home, it was mostly as a dry sabzi (and that’s the recipe that I have shared here). But sometimes, mom also made it as a curry with plenty of sauce and we ate it with rice. The drier version is the most popular homemade aloo gobi especially in Northern India.
When I say everyone has their own way of making it, I mean not only in terms of whether it’s dry or with curry, I also mean in terms of what ingredients you put it in. Some make it with only onions, while others make it with onions, tomatoes and a whole bunch of spices.
Because it’s such a popular dish, it’s also cooked using different gadgets, I often make it in the Instant Pot, and I also do love how easy an air fryer aloo gobi is. Seriously, give it a try when you are in a rush.
Soggy Cauliflower in Aloo Gobi? Not Anymore with These Tips!
One common problem with aloo gobi is that when you cook it, the cauliflower becomes soggy, and you don’t want that. You want the veggies to be cooked and tender but not soggy. That kind of spoils the taste and texture of this dish. My mother is law makes a version where she deep fries the vegetables before adding them to the masala and while that helps in retaining the texture, we can’t deep fry vegetables for everyday cooking.
So, here’s how you can prevent that from happening.
- Half cook the cauliflower and potatoes before adding it to the onion-tomato masala. You can parboil the potatoes and cauliflower or bake them in the oven or do what I did – fry them in little oil until they are half cooked. This helps in retaining shape and texture and gives them more flavor. You don’t need to deep fry the vegetables (which you can reserve for festive cooking) but pan frying them in a little oil does the trick.
- Don’t cover and cook the cauliflower. I usually let the sabzi cook uncovered because covering generates steam and that tends to make cauliflower a little soggy. Cover and cook towards the end and remember to cook on flame.
- Add salt towards the end when the dish is almost done. Adding salt releases water which can further change the texture of the vegetables and make them soggy. Adding it towards the end when vegetables are mostly cooked helps in retaining the texture.
- After the sabzi is cooked, remove the pan from heat and let it sit covered for 5 more minutes before serving. This makes sure that the vegetables are cooked perfectly without getting overcooked.
Cut The Vegetables Thin & Small for Faster Cooking
To make sure the vegetables cook fast, cut them into small pieces and thin slices. The cauliflower needs to be cut into small florets. Similarly, if you dice the potatoes, dice them ½ inch thick or less and if you slice them, slice them ¼ inch thick. This way they cook quickly and evenly.
Does Cooking Oil Matter?
Honestly, you can make aloo gobi with any oil. But if you ask me, cooking aloo gobi in mustard oil gives it that raw and authentic taste. Mustard oil has a unique aroma and flavor which it imparts to the aloo gobi when you cook with it.
One thing to remember about mustard oil is that you need to heat it first until it’s smoking and then turn off the heat. Wait for it to cool down a little (because you don’t want the spices to burn) and then add the tempering. If you add the tadka/tempering while the mustard oil is just hot (and not smoking hot), your final dish will have that raw mustard oil taste which many people are not fond of.
Homemade Aloo Gobi
- Pan fry the vegetables first
To retain the texture of the potatoes and cauliflower, I like to pan fry them first in a little oil until they have some brown spots. You can also do this step in the oven, but I prefer doing it on the stovetop. Don’t steam the vegetables as that will make them soggy.
- Make the onion tomato masala
The base for this aloo gobi is made with onions, tomatoes and spices. Sauté the onions first for 2 to 3 minutes until they are translucent and then add the tomatoes and cook them until soft.
- Add the spices and cook the masala
Flavor the masala with coriander, turmeric, amchur, chili powder and then cover the cook the masala. Don’t add salt at this point.
- Toss in the potatoes and cauliflower
Once the masala is cooked through, toss in the pan-fried vegetables along with chopped cilantro and garam masala. Toss well using a spatula so that all the vegetables are coated with the masala. Now, let the veggies cook uncovered for 5 to 6 minutes on low medium heat.
- Add salt, cover and cook
Add the salt at this point and then cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, around 8 to 9 minutes on low medium heat. Keep stirring in between, you might need to add some water here, I did not add any. Once cooked, remove the kadai/pan from heat and let it sit covered for 5 more minutes. Serve hot!
Manali’s Tips
- I like using russet potatoes or gold potatoes for this recipe. Make sure to slice the potatoes into ¼ inch thickness so that they cook in the time mentioned above in the recipe.
- You may need to add some water to this recipe, I did not add any water but if you need to, add 1 tablespoon at a time, during the last step when you cook the vegetables covered with a lid on low heat. Add water only as needed. For me, the little water that generated from the steam after covering the lid was enough for the veggies to cook.
- If you do not have amchur (dried mango powder), you can squeeze in some fresh lemon juice at the end once the aloo gobi is cooked.
Authentic Aloo Gobi – Potatoes & Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons oil, divided, I used mustard oil
- 2 medium potatoes, around 240 grams sliced into ¼ inch thickness
- 1 small head cauliflower, around 280 grams , measure after removing the stems and leaves, cut into small florets
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium red onion, around 200 grams , finely chopped
- 1 & ½ teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
- 2 medium tomatoes, around 240 grams , finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon amchur, dry mango powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder , add more to taste
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, + more to garnish
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium size heavy bottom pan or kadai. Once the oil is hot, add 1 small cauliflower florets (cut unto small ½ inch florets) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add 2 medium potatoes (¼-inch slices) and pan fry on medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes until the vegetables have some brown spots over them. Remove the vegetables on a plate lined with paper towel.
- To the same pan, now add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Then add 1 medium onion (chopped) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often until the onions are translucent.
- Then add 1 & ½ teaspoons ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes or until the raw smell of ginger and garlic goes away. Next, add 2 medium tomatoes (chopped) and cook for 2 minutes until they are soft and pulpy.
- Once the tomatoes are little soft, add the ground spices- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon amchur, ¼ teaspoon red chili powder and 1 teaspoon coriander powder. Stir and mix all the spices with the masala. Now, cover the pan and cook the masala on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Toss in the pan-fried potatoes and cauliflower along with ¼ teaspoon garam masala and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Mix well with a spatula, so that the vegetables are coated with the masala. Cook the vegetables uncovered on low-medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often.
- Now, add ¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste) and stir well. Cover the pan now and cook for additional 8 to 9 minutes on low-medium heat, or until the vegetables are tender but not soggy. Open the lid in between and stir every minute or two. If you feel the masala is sticking to the pan, you may add some water,1 tablespoon at a time. I did not add any. Remove pan from heat and let it sit covered for 5 more minutes. Uncover, garnish with more cilantro and serve aloo gobi hot with rotis!
Video
Notes
- Add lots of chopped cilantro leaves to your aloo gobi, it adds a lot to the flavor.
- You can even deep fry the potatoes and cauliflower till they are completely cooked and then add them to the masala. But deep frying = more calories so it’s not the way I make aloo-gobi at home regularly.
- Adjust spice levels to taste.
- You can also sprinkle some kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) on top for added flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
