Dhaba-Style Gobi Aloo Matar

Ingredients — vegetables & base

• 1 medium cauliflower, in florets
• 3 medium potatoes, cubed
• ½ cup green peas
• ½ cup yogurt, stirred
• 2 tomatoes, puréed
• hot water, as needed
• salt
• 1–2 ladles mustard oil

Ingredients — whole spices

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 cm cinnamon
• 1 black cardamom
• 2 bay leaves

Ingredients — ground spices

• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1.5 tbsp coriander
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp hot chili powder
• ½ tsp black salt (optional)
• 1 tbsp besan

Ingredients — fresh

• 4 onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 green chillies, chopped (+ 2 in strips to garnish)
• 1 cm ginger, in strips
• coriander, to garnish

Ingredients — to round off

• a pinch garam masala
• a good pinch toasted kasuri methi

Steps

1. 1.Wash florets in salted water. Cube potatoes, keep in water. Whisk the yogurt; purée the tomatoes.
2. 2.Heat the mustard oil until it smokes, then cool it a little. Drain the veg; fry cauliflower + potato on high ~5–6 min, until ~90% cooked. Remove.
3. 3.In the same oil, bloom the cumin, cinnamon, black cardamom and bay leaves; add the onions and sauté light golden. Add the ginger-garlic and chopped green chillies; fry golden.
4. 4.Lower heat. Stir in the turmeric, coriander, cumin powder, chili powder, black salt and besan. Add a splash of hot water; roast 4–5 min.
5. 5.Add tomato purée, whisked yogurt, salt. Cook on high 12–15 min until the oil separates.
6. 6.Stir in peas; cover; cook 6–8 min. Adjust with hot water — half-thick.
7. 7.Return cauliflower + potato; cook a few minutes. Finish with garam masala, kasuri methi, chilli strips, ginger strips, coriander.