Aloo Gobi, Indian style potato and cauliflower curry, is a fantastic dish to serve with Naan or rice. This naturally vegan curry can easily be doubled and is freezer-friendly.

Prep Time10minutes mins

Cook Time30minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Mains

Cuisine: Indian, North Indian, Punjabi

Servings: 5

Calories: 167kcal

Equipment

  • 1 heavy bottomed frying pan such as a cast iron skillet or dutch oven
  • 1 Slotted ladle
  • 1 chopping board
  • 1 sharp chef’s knife

Ingredients

For frying the potatoes and cauliflowers

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 10.5 oz Cauliflower florets
  • 10 oz diced potatoes

For the curry

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1.5 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 cup finely chopped onions
  • 1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1.25 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 3/4 tsp Garam masala
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • 3/4 tsp Aamchur powder
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped fresh tomatoes
  • 1.5 tbsp Tomato ketchup
  • 1.5 tsp Kasuri Methi
  • 3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

Instructions

Prep work

  • Separate the florets of the cauliflower. You will need florets that are 2 to 3 inches along with the stem. Do not use stems that are hard and mature since they take a while to cook.
  • Dice the potatoes into 1 inch cubes or thin slices. Chop the other ingredients, assemble the other ingredients and set aside.

Fry the cauliflower and potatoes

  • Heat a heavy bottomed pan like a cast iron skillet or a 5 quart Dutch oven with oil.
  • Add the cauliflower and toss well, making the oil coats the cauliflower. Cook on medium flame for 7 to 8 minutes. Now, add the potatoes and mix well. Continue to cook this mixture for another 12 to 13 minutes on medium heat, stirring every now and then.
  • When the potatoes and cauliflower have golden brown spots on them, they are done. Drain and set aside.

Making the curry

  • Add oil to the pan. Crackle the cumin seeds.
  • When done, add finely chopped onions and stir to combine. Add ginger garlic paste, mix well and continue to cook till onions are pink and soft..
  • Tip in the red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well and cook on low heat for 20 to 30 seconds.
  • Add the tomatoes and mix well. Now, add the tomato ketchup, stir well to combine and continue to cook till the mixture is mushy. The tomatoes should have broken down completely and become pulpy at this stage.
  • Add the cauliflower and potatoes with the Aamchur powder. Stir well to combine.
  • Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on low heat, stirring every now and then. This will prevent the curry from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • Once done, finish with cilantro leaves. Stir once and serve hot.

Notes

  1. Chop potatoes into thin slices or into even sized cubes. This helps in quick and even cooking.
  2. The most time consuming part about this recipe is pan frying the cauliflower and potatoes. This step alone takes 15 to 20 minutes. 
  3. Authentic recipes call for deep frying the cauliflower and potatoes. In fact, some restaurants do this too. But I prefer pan frying to cut down on the calories.
  4. Rinse your cauliflower and pat dry thoroughly. Any moisture in the cauliflower will make it limp and soggy. This is definitely not the texture we want.
  5. Do not add salt to the cauliflower and potatoes while pan-frying them. 
  6. You just need to fry the cauliflower and potatoes till they have some golden brown spots on them. We are not going to fry them fully since they will continue to cook in the gravy base.
  7. Frying the potatoes and cauliflower before tossing them in the gravy base is very crucial in preventing soggy cauliflower and mushy potatoes. This step is super important to making the best version of this recipe.
  8. If you find that pan frying the veggies are time consuming, you can roast the veggies in the air fryer or oven and then toss them into the curry. Refer to the air fryer and oven methods for more information.
  9. If you do not have Aamchur powder, then add 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice after the dish is done. 
  10. Tomato paste is a good substitute for the tomatoes. But you will have a slightly drier version of this curry.
  11. Adding tomato ketchup enhances the flavor and brings a restaurant like or Dhaba style flavor to the dish. This is optional but highly recommended.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 563mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 353IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg