Aloo Ghobi - (Potatoes and Cauliflower)

Another recipe from Mum and Dad.  As a child, when we wanted take-away food, Mum would say, 'no need, we can have aloo ghobi', so I was not so fond of it back then.  But now I love it, and cauliflower has definitely had a renaissance... Cheap, easy, vegan if you leave out the butter, goes well as a side dish to something meaty, or can stand alone.  Eat with roti, roll up in a wrap, have with rice.  I have taken photos of the dish cooked Dad's way (chunky chop) but I often make it in a 'micro-chop' fashion, to a different aesthetic effect.  Though you do want the vegetables a bit collapsed, not firm and perky.

Ingredients - serves 6 people as a side dish

Tumeric - 1 tbs

Cumin Seed - 1 tbs

Ground Coriander - about 2 tsps

Chilli - about 1 tsp

Amchur/amchoor - 1 tbsp  (Dried mango powder - it's for sourness.  If you don't have it, you could try sumac or lemon juice at the end.)

Potatoes - quantity flexible,  probably 3 medium - peeled, cubed and steamed until partially cooked.

Cauliflower - 1/2 whole - cut into florets and also very lightly steamed if it's cut large, or not if it's cut small.

Onion- 1/2 (white or purple) - finely chopped

Ginger - 1 tsp ground, or a 2 cm piece, peeled and grated or finely chopped

Tomato - fresh, 1 large, diced small

some coriander stalks - perhaps half a bunch worth, chopped finely, with some of the leaves for garnish.

Instructions

Fry the tumeric, coriander powder and cumin seed in a tbs of oil (any oil - olive, vegetable, mustard) briefly.  Add chopped tomato, onion, ginger, coriander stalks.  

Fry for about 10 minutes, stirring, adding a little water and amchoor half way through.  After about 10 minutes, the oil should be visibly separating.  This shows the masala is ready.

Add the partially cooked potatoes into the masala and stir until coated.  Add a bit more water, some salt and cook for about 10 minutes.  Add cauliflower, stir to coat, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes on low heat.  Add more water if it looks too dry or is catching.

Check for done-ness, add salt, lemon juice and butter if you like to adjust the flavour,  Garnish with fresh coriander.