1poundpotatoespeeled, roughly cut into 1-inch, bite-size cubes/chunks, soaked in cold water for 15 minutes and then thoroughly drained
1headcauliflowerabout 1 ½ pounds untrimmed weight. I trim off about a third of the stalks, and carefully break the florets into pieces a bit bigger than the potato chunks.
2canspeeled plum tomatoes14-ounce cans, juice and all
Set a big skillet (I used a deep, 12-inch one) onto a high heat and add the coconut oil. When it’s good and hot, add all the well-drained potato chunks. Give them a good stir, so they all get a good coating of the oil. Now let them fry on that high heat for about five minutes.
You’re aiming to give them a fairly even golden color all over, so you’ll need to turn the chunks over a few times as they fry in the hot oil. Good. Turn off the heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the chunks and set them aside. Try to leave as much oil as you can in the skillet — that’s where the cauliflower’s heading now.
Turn the heat under the skillet back to high, and add all the cauliflower flower florets. You want to stir-fry these for about 3 minutes, so they take on some deep, golden char — not all over like with the potatoes, but just on those edges that sit naturally flat in the skillet. As soon as that’s done, turn off the heat. remove the florets with a slotted spoon, and set them aside with the potatoes. Time for the sauce.
You’ll now need a saucepan that’s big enough to hold the potatoes, cauliflower, and their sauce. Set the pan on a medium heat and add the butter. When it just starts to foam, add the onion, garlic, chili, and salt. Stir well, and drop the heat to low-medium. Let the mix fry gently so that the onions soften and just begin to brown a little — and I mean just a little. That’ll take about 7 minutes with some attentive stirring. Good.
Add all the spices but not yet the garam masala. So, that‘s the cumin, cilantro, turmeric, fenugreek, ginger, and black pepper. Stir the pan well and let it cook over that low-medium heat for another 3 minutes. Then stir in all the tomatoes and their juice, and turn the heat to medium-high. As soon as the sauce begins to bubble, drop the heat to low and cover the pan.
Let it simmer gently on low for ten minutes so that the tomatoes start to soften, and you can easily break them up with a spatula. You’re not aiming for a smooth purée, but rather for the sauce to keep a little of the tomatoes’ body.
Now add the potatoes and cauliflower to the pan. Stir carefully to cover them in sauce, but stir carefully — you want the potatoes and cauliflower to remain as whole as possible. Now add the garam masala, cover the pan and let it slowly simmer away on that low heat for another ten minutes. Give it a few careful stirs as it cooks just to keep the sauce from catching. Finally, add the lime juice and give the pan one last careful stir. Done.
For the basmati rice
This is easy — simply follow the instructions on the pack. That usually means covering the rice in a pan with water and a heaped teaspoon of salt. Bring the pan to a boil, drop the heat to low and cover the pan, so it barely simmers for about 7 minutes. The rice will absorb all the water and be just al dente. Grand. Turn off the heat and stir the butter gently into the rice. Done. Turn the rice into a pretty serving dish — it’s time to serve your aloo gobi.
I like to plate the aloo gobi for each diner and then allow them to help themselves to the buttery basmati.
Notes
To drink? For this type of curry, the choice for me would always be a cold, light beer with just enough of a crisp bite to it. A couple of Heineken’s would be dandy. Thanks.