Ingredients
3 Tbsp/45 ml neutral oil such as grapeseed
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 large/300 g white or yellow onion, diced
1 green chilli such as jalapeno, serrano, or bird’s eye, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp garlic, grated
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 small/each about 140 g tomatoes, diced
2 large/each about 320 g Russet potatoes, peeled and diced, 1 in/2.5 cm cubes
10 oz/280 g cauliflower florets, broken into bite-sized pieces
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or 2 tsp amchur (unripe dry mango powder)
½ tsp garam masala, homemade or store-bought
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, tender stems and leaves
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the cumin and turmeric, and sauté until fragrant and sizzling for 30 to 45 seconds. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the green chilli, and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Fold in the tomatoes, potatoes, and cauliflower, season with salt, cover with a lid, and cook until the potatoes and cauliflower are tender enough to be easily pierced by a fork or knife, occasionally stir to prevent burning, 30 to 45 minutes. If the vegetables start to burn, add 1 to 2 Tbsp of water as needed. Drizzle the lemon juice and garam masala over the vegetables, remove from the heat and taste, and season with salt if needed. Serve hot or warm, garnished with cilantro. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Notes
- I find more success braising these vegetables in a Dutch oven than in a saucepan. The heavy lid of a Dutch oven traps the steam much more nicely than a stainless-steel saucepan; the vegetables don’t dry out as quickly, cook faster, and don’t burn. Sealing the steam in with a tight lid ensures the potatoes cook tender during braising. Cutting the potatoes to size and adding a few Tbsp of water also helps. Some folk like to parboil the potatoes before using them in this recipe.
- Both lemon juice and amchur work well here, but I prefer the fruity sourness of amchur in this recipe.
