Punjabi Style Aloo Gobhi

As some of you know I recently started my own company – MantraM Digital Media (yes an anagram of sorts:) and it’s roughly been over a year that I started working for myself. I help small to mid sized businesses with their digital marketing and social media strategy. Still a solopreneur and growing, but it has been an incredible learning experience and an opportunity to grow myself inside out – focus, productivity, discipline, besides learning something new in the digital space everyday. Testament to the adage – You are always learning. I am still scratching the surface on the productivity and focus aspect – it’s so easy to get caught up looking at your own social profile while managing a client’s or going down the rabbit hole with an Instagram tip to apply to your business that somehow ends up with browsing food stories instead. Managing social media is a double edged sword. You can never truly switch yourself off. That’s where the discipline comes in. Creating a schedule and sticking to it. Getting dressed and showing up to work, in my home office. Keeping a monthly, weekly and daily goal to stay motivated. Still ways to go…

And so it is ironic or maybe a tad embarrassing that I coach clients on the frequency of posting content – being regular with blog posts, Facebook, Instagram posts and when it comes to my own – the less said the better.
I have been quite regular on social media as in Insta is now my mini blog, as you can see here, but I would be lying if I said that’s my new strategy to post regularly. It has just been easier to click a few videos or stories and post on Insta, while posting to Facebook at the same time and adding a few hashtags it’s done! The idea of crafting a detailed blog post is what I have been cringing about – the beautiful images, the step by step pictures and one that I want to live by – the stories for each post. And then I read somewhere that we often put the pressure on ourselves to be perfect. It’s sometimes okay to get the job done and get it out the door within the deadline than procrastinate just because I want to get that A+.

Which brings me to today’s post – exactly 7 months after my last one:)

Since I always advise my clients to have a content calendar for their posts I am starting one for myself. No promises but I hope to post at least 2 recipes a month with this new habit. I hope you will help me stay true to this promise. You have my permission to nudge me on social media and keep me on task:)

So this Punjabi Aloo Gobhi was one I tried about 2 weeks ago. We have been increasingly trying to cook lighter and healthier meals, cutting down on rice and carbs, opting for millets, even with our rotis. Bajra and Jowar roti was a recent addition this month – to help lower the glycemic index in the dishes for the diabetics in the family. With rotis comes the need for a dal (lentils) or beans with gravy and a dry sabzi. Add some raw onions, green chilies and a salad and you have yourself a full nutritious meal. More on the bajra jowar roti recipe in the next post.
A chance search on Youtube gave me this recipe which looked more than authentic. A Punjabi speaking sardar chef cooking on a choolha in his backyard in (maybe) Punjab? And so I followed his recipe to give you the most authentic Punjabi aloo gobi I have made – it’s a simple recipe with few ingredients and while it may have tasted even better on the choolha, my induction stove and pressure cooker kadai did the trick. And I cooked outdoors that day just for the effect;)

Try it and let me know what you think.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Punjabi Style Aloo Gobhi

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

A dry, tangy, mildly spiced potato and cauliflower curry. Perfect accompaniment to rotis, phulkas, parathas and rice dishes.

Author: The Mindful Veggie

Cuisine: North Indian - Punjabi

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• Cauliflower florets - 2½ cups
• Potato, peeled and roughly chopped - ¾ cup or 1 potato
• Red onion - 2, medium, sliced thin
• Tomatoes - 2 medium, roughly chopped
• Paste of ginger, garlic and green chili - 3-4 tsp
• Turmeric - ¼ -1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - ½ tsp
• Cumin or jeera - 1 tsp
• Fennel or saunf - ½ tsp
• Cilantro, chopped - ½ cup
• Mustard oil - 2 tbsp (you may use any oil but I believe mustard oil adds a characteristic flavor to Punjabi and other North Indian curries)

Instructions

1. Take a kadai or heavy bottom pan.
2. Add 2 tbsp mustard oil. Let it heat well to smoking point. Keep in mind that mustard oil imparts its flavor only when heated to smoking, if not will taste raw.
3. Add the cumin seeds or jeera and saute for a minute. Add the fennel or saunf and saute.
4. Add the sliced onions. Let it cook until lightly browned.
5. Add the ginger-garlic-chili paste now and cook for 1-2 minutes.
6. Add the turmeric powder, salt to taste.
7. Now add the chopped tomatoes, and let it cook for 5 minutes. You may lightly mash the tomatoes and can also add about 3-4 tsp of water, no more, to just let it all come together.
8. Add the potato now, and saute on a medium flame for 3-5 minutes. You may add another tsp of water to cook the potatoes.
9. Add ½ tsp garam masala.
10. Add the cauliflower, mix well.
11. Cook on low to medium, covered for about 5-10 minutes until done.
12. Garnish with ½ cup chopped cilantro.
13. Serve hot with phulkas or parathas (rotis).

3.5.3229