.: evil jungle prince :.

I was so happy with this preparation of aloo gobi that it was a must that I make a blog entry about it straight away, both for my own future reference (I often use my own blog as personal cookbook for favorite recipes) but also in the spirit of sharing. Note however that, as usual, I'm not shooting for authenticity here but rather a type of cooking catered to my personal tastes.

In this case, I've altered the traditional aloo gobi recipe -- a "dry" Indian potato and cauliflower curry, dispensing with methods which either boil the cauliflower until it is nothing more than mush or methods that steam all the nutrients out of the cauliflower before it actually becomes part of the curry. In this method (see below), the vegetables are not overcooked and retain just a hint of crispness. (I also enjoy my version with a little bit more liquid so that chapatis can be dunked into the thick, gorgeous curry.)

1. I began by peeling a dozen or so small red potatoes, and then cutting them into halves or quarters depending on their size. I also chopped about 1/4 of a cauliflower into bite sized pieces.

2. In a pot I heated a little peanut oil and 1 tsp cumin seed until they began to sputter. I then added 3/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 2 tsp ground coriander, and 1/2 tsp ground cumin. I allowed this to fry briefly.

3. I then added in the potatoes pieces, covering them in the flavored oil. Next added was 1 tsp salt, 1 cup purified water, and 1/2 can of tomato concentrate, or about 4-5 spoonfuls. The potatoes were allowed to simmer on a low flame in this mixture until about 3/4 of the way cooked through. (Keep tasting to see where they are.)

4. By the time the potatoes are nearly cooked, it was time to add in the cauliflower. Rather than steam them, I placed them into the potatoes and curry mixture, covering everything with a lid, allowing the cauliflower to steam inside the pot with the curry mixture. (It's important not to stir because the cauliflower is tender and will fall apart.) If the mixture has gone too dry, add just a little bit of water so the cauliflower can properly cook through.

5. The aloo gobi is finished when the potatoes and cauliflower pieces are cooked through in tandem. Now add 1/2 to 1 whole bunch of cilantro, chopped (feel free to include stems), into the mixture. Remove from heat and serve.