My sister sent me a similar recipe for a cauliflower dish that I mentally filed away as a quick and simple vegan dish to make with little fresh produce in the fridge.  I culled various recipes for Aloo Gobi to find the right balance of spices to make this dish taste authentic.  This is a great recipe for anyone looking to get started on Indian home cooking.  Note that the addition of golden raisins is not part of the traditional recipes, but I added them to give the dish a sweet and chewy contrast to the warm spices.

Aloo Gobi is a very filling dish, especially when served over jasmine rice.  I also like to serve it with a chickpea pancake (mix equal parts chickpea flour with water and add a dash of cumin and salt), or store-bought naan.

Aloo Gobi (Indian Potatoes & Cauliflower)

2 Tbs. coconut oil, ghee or canola oil

1 medium onion

3 cloves garlic

1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” pieces

1 tbs. fresh ginger, grated

1 lb. cauliflower florets (frozen)

1 – 2 cups water, as needed

½ C. frozen peas

1 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. paprika

½ tsp. coriander

dash cinnamon

¼ C. golden raisins (optional)

1. Heat medium dutch oven or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil or ghee until smoking, then add onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are deep golden brown and soft.

2. Add the garlic, potatoes and ginger; sauté until potatoes are slightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Add in spices (turmeric through cinnamon) and continue to cook, coating the potatoes with the spice mixture.  Add cauliflower and water, then cover and simmer until vegetables are tender (about 5 minutes).  Add peas and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until peas are soft and warmed throughout.  Add additional water if needed, keeping a thick sauce on the vegetables.  Season with additional salt and pepper and add golden raisins, if using.