Roasted Aloo Gobhi is excerpted from Indian-ish© 2019 by Priya Krishna with Ritu Krishna. Photography © 2019 by Mackenzie Kelley. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Now, here’s one you have probably heard of: aloo gobhi, the classic potato-and-cauliflower dish that’s ubiquitous on Indian restaurant menus and in movies that feature an Indian family (I see you, Bend It Like Beckham). The problem is that most versions I’ve tried are overly mushy and way too heavy, usually from deep-frying. Enter my mom’s simple but game-changing technique of roasting the cauliflower and potatoes before sautéing them, thereby allowing the vegetables to get that smoky, crunchy, charred exterior and also hold their shape in the pan without any excess oiliness. This is a great make-ahead party dish, as you can pre-roast the vegetables, and then whenever you’re ready, throw them in the pan with your spices and onions to finish the dish in 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
• 2 medium russet potatoes, cut into 2-inch-long sticks
• 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 3 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• Pinch of asafetida (optional, but really great)
• Pinch of red chile powder
• 1 tablespoon julienned fresh ginger (see Tip, page 42)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from about half a lime), plus more if needed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (stems and leaves), for garnish
My favorite India dish. I judge all Indian restaurants—here and there—by quality of their aloo gobi. I do the roasted eggplant trick for Italian pasta Norma also. Much better than deep frying.