Our Veggie Kitchen

Last May, I made an amazing batch of Tomato Chutney (recipe here). It was so good, that I ate a bunch of it over plain rice and even a few spoonfuls straight while leaning over the sink. I knew at the time that I needed to find a way to make it into a main dish. I remembered this as I was eating Aloo Gobi at a local Indian restaurant. This dish was simmered in a spicy tomato sauce and I knew a similar batch cooked in the tomato chutney would be perfect. . . and it was.

I used 4 serrano peppers and this batch was very, very mild. I've been fooled by mild peppers before, claiming that this Rajma recipe was mild (it was the first time), with each successive batch being fiery hot. So, what I would suggest, and did with this batch, is to simmer the peppers, then, to control the heat, mince some or all of them and stir them into the finished dish.



Aloo Gobi
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon black mustard seed (yellow is OK)
1 tbs ginger, grated
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
Pinch of asafetida (hing) (optional)
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/4 cup water
6 medium tomatoes, diced
4 serrano peppers, with slits cut down the sides
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cilantro, minced

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a stock pot or deep saute pan. Add the cumin seed and mustard seed and stir until the cumin begins to sizzle. Stir in the ginger, bay leaves, paprika, turmeric and asafoetida. Cook for just a minute or so, then stir in the potatoes and cauliflower. Add 1/4 cup of water, stir to coat the veggies and cover. Cook for about 5 minutes, just until the potato begins to soften. Add the tomato and peppers. Cover again and simmer, stirring occasionally, for around 15 minutes, until the potatoes and cauliflower has softened and the tomatoes have released much of their liquid.

Mix together the sugar and cornstarch with a little water. Stir into the sauce and add the cilantro and salt. Allow to rest for a couple minutes before serving.

4 Servings: 212 cal (8g fat, 34g carbs, 6g protein)