Aloo Gobi is a classic and popular Indian vegetable dish. It literally means potatoes with cauliflower, both of which are easily available year round. On a recent trip to my neighborhood farmer’s market, the fresh turnips caught my eye. While I love potatoes, I thought of making aloo gobi with turnips instead. The turnip greens were so fresh that I had to incorporate them into the dish as well. Finishing off the dish with a light dusting of cinnamon added a bit of flair and flavor that will keep many guessing what the secret ingredient is.
Serves 4
1 bunch turnips, quartered
1 head cauliflower, cut into 1 inch florets
Turnip greens (optional, chopped)
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, grated
3 tablespoons high heat oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons garam masala powder *
½ teaspoon red chili powder (optional)
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice or to taste
*or ½ teaspoon cardamom powder , ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ¼ teaspoon clove powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Recipe
Steam the turnips and cauliflower for 5 minutes.
In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat for a few minutes till a cumin seed sizzles. Fry the cumin seeds for 10 seconds.
Immediately, add the onion, ginger, garlic, and stir fry for 5 minutes or till the onion is light brown. Sauté the chopped turnip greens and powdered spices till the greens are fully wilted.
Mix in the cauliflower and turnips. Add cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 3 minutes.
Squeeze juice of half a lime or to taste.
Serve with bread, naan, tortillas or rice.
Veena Prasad is the founder of an online market for cook-it-yourself Indian kits, an Indian food blogger and a recipe consultant. Veena is a native of South India but is happy to call Seattle home. She loves sharing regional Indian cuisine, especially dishes from South India that are not available in restaurants, but thoroughly enjoys adapting her favorite recipes to the bounty available in the Pacific Northwest.
Photo Credit: Veena Prasad
