Aloo Gobi

Spicy Potatoes and Cauliflower Sauté

We lived for three months in Rajasthan, with the Ranawat family, in a small village named Badgoan outside of Udaipur. Though most people in our neighborhood were strict vegetarians, at the beginning of our stay, we occasionally ate “non-veg” or meat-based meals. This was okay with our hosts, since they were of the Rajput, or warrior, caste and were permitted, on occasion, to indulge in animal flesh. We soon learned, however, that buying meat at one of the hole-in-the-wall butcher shops scattered around Udaipur meant making a transaction that felt similar to a back-alley drug deal. After making a few such transactions, we eventually cut down our meat consumption and went vegetarian for the rest of our stay. We each lost weight as we adjusted to this diet, but we grew quite fond of rice and lentils, chapatti and fruit, and we were generally satiated by this simple fare. When I felt like cooking something decadent, I would make aloo gobi, rich and spicy, and we all considered it quite a treat. This dish remains one of my favorites.

Ingredients:

· 12 oz .cauliflower florets, cut into 1 ½ pieces (about two cups)

· 3 T. peanut oil

· 1 lb. white or gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 in. cubes (approx. 3 medium potatoes)

· 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped fine

· 2 small red onions, chopped fine

· ½ t. garam masala spice blend

· ¼ t. ground coriander

· ½ t. ground cumin

· 1 ½ t. turmeric

· Salt to taste

· 2 T. ghee or butter

· 1 T. peeled ginger root

· 3 cloves peeled garlic

Directions:

1. Soak the cauliflower in salted cold water while preparing the remaining ingredients.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the jalapeno, onions, and potatoes and fry until the onions are beginning to brown, about 8-10 min, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the cauliflower and cook for an additional 5 minutes, gently stirring occasionally.

4. Add the garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and salt. Mix and cook for an additional 5 minutes, gently stirring occasionally.

5. Stir in butter, add 1/3 c. cold water, and stir again. Cover and simmer for an additional 5 min.

6. Puree the ginger and the garlic with a minimum amount of water in a blender or food processor. Stir the puree into the aloo gobi and serve with chapatti or rice.