Aloo Gobi Matar Dry Recipe

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Aloo Gobi Matar is a dry Indian side dish that features potatoes, cauliflower, and green peas cooked in aromatic spices. We love this served with some simple dal and rice or roti or with just plain yoghurt. Follow my recipe technique to achieve a perfectly cooked Aloo Gobi Matar, where all three ingredients shine as the stars of the dish. If you know what I mean! 😂

I did not grow up eating Aloo Gobi Matar as it is traditionally a North Indian cuisine. I am a South Indian who loves her idli sambar vada and yet I hardly make them. 😐 Shame.

But as Indians, we all are aware of the usual sabzis (side dish) and this one has always been on my menu. There are several different Aloo Gobi Matar recipes and I have tried a handful of them. Some add tomatoes to make it a curry version, some add onions and tomatoes, some add more masalas, etc. So, no two families have the same recipe!

Ingredients

This aloo gobi matar dry recipe is a perfect combo of veggies that compliments each other fulfilling the nutritious needs in a meal. F loves potatoes and sometimes more than meat! I have seen him scoop all the potato chunks from my aloo gosht and give me the grin. 😁 With Cauliflower I used to make Gobi Paratha a lot. And lastly, the green peas - No shame in using frozen ones- don't you agree? I use up my green peas in making my mutter paneer and poori masala and more recently in my semiya upma.

You will need these ingredients to make this simple aloo gobi matar dry recipe:

cooking oil
cumin seeds
hing (asafoetida)
ginger
garlic
green chillies
turmeric powder
red chilli powder
coriander powder
cumin powder
potatoes
cauliflower
green peas
salt

Instructions

The real struggle in making aloo gobi matar dry recipe is to keep the veggies in shape.. Most of the time by the end of the cooking, there would be no sign of gobi. 😂 I am sure most of you faced that and probably thought the ones you see on blogs are not cooked through!

But I am here to give you the tips and techniques that will help you have the veggies look perfectly standing together! Let's learn how to make aloo gobi matar ki sabji!

bowl of chopped potatoes and bowl of cauliflower florets

Make sure to chop both the potatoes and florets in a similar size to cook evenly. I like to soak the potato chunks in plain water for about 10 to 20 minutes and rinse them before using them. For the cauliflower, I use my hands to separate the florets and then use a knife to cut off any fat stalk. I then wash the florets in running water in a colander and let them drain until needed.

cast iron skillet to saute spices to make aloo gobi matar

You can use any cooking oil but I prefer to use sunflower or mustard oil. Sizzle the cumin seeds in hot oil and then add the chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies and hing. Fry this until garlic starts to change colour and ginger starts to stick to the pan. Don't burn the mixture so do adjust the flame accordingly.

Reduce the flame to the lowest and add all the spice powders and fry for a minute.

potato cubes being pan-cooked in a spice blend

Dump the drained potatoes into the pan and carefully mix to coat the pieces. Cook covered for 5 minutes on low to medium flame. This is to give it a headstart as cauliflower doesn't need as much time as potatoes to cook.

potato chunks, cauliflower florets being cooked in a cast iron skillet.

Open and stir in the cauliflower florets and again cook covered for 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure to open it every 5 minutes to stir the veggies. You may drizzle some oil if you find it too dry.

Check if the potatoes are cooked by using a knife to cut through a piece. Add the boiled or frozen green peas along with salt. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes or until the veggies are cooked and tender. Switch off and stir in the freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve.

More green peas recipes? Try the lip-smacking Matar Paneer!

Substitutions

This is a vegetarian and vegan dish that can be made to suit your tastebuds or spice tolerance.

cooking oil: I usually use only sunflower oil but some days I add a spoonful of ghee too. You can use any high or low smoke point cooking oil for this dish.
cumin seeds: If you only have cumin powder, you can skip this or use caraway seeds.
hing (asafoetida): This can be replaced with a finely chopped medium-sized red onion.
ginger and garlic: You may use ginger garlic paste. If you have the ginger-garlic-green-chillies paste, then use that instead.
potatoes: You can use any locally available potatoes but try to use one kind so they cook evenly.

Variations

You can make this dish a few different ways each time you make:

You can add a few tomatoes to make it a semi-dry curry. Sauté finely chopped tomatoes along with onions in the initial cooking stage to create a flavorful tomato base. Adjust the spices accordingly to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
Make this with a south-Indian flavour by tempering with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Heat a tablespoon of oil, add mustard seeds, and allow them to crackle before adding curry leaves and other ingredients.
Crush some kasuri methi (fenugreek leaves) and sprinkle it over the cooked dish just before serving for a unique flavour and aroma.

Equipment

I found that using a smaller pan to fit the ingredients tightly helps cook evenly while retaining the shape. This allows some potato and cauliflower pieces to get charred, adding flavour and crunch. I have used a 9-inch cast iron skillet. I find a flat-based heavy-bottomed pan helps better than a deep kadai or pot where steam builds more making the veggies too soft and mushy.

Storage

Aloo Gobi Matar can be safely stored in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days. You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating. Does not freeze well.

FAQ

What does aloo gobi mean in english?

The term "Aloo" refers to potatoes, while "Gobi" refers to cauliflower. So, when you combine the two words, "Aloo Gobi," it represents a dish made with potatoes and cauliflower as the main ingredients.

What to serve with aloo gobi matar?

Aloo Gobi Matar is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed on its own or paired with other complementary dishes. Serve as a side dish with any Indian bread or a bowl of steamed rice, yoghurt dips, pickles, papadums, or with some leftover dal. These are just a few suggestions, and you can mix and match according to your taste preferences. The goal is to create a balanced and satisfying meal with a combination of flavours, textures, and nutrients.

What is aloo gobi matar?

Aloo Gobi Matar is a popular vegetarian dish from Indian cuisine. It is a combination of potatoes (aloo), cauliflower (gobi), and green peas (matar), cooked together in a flavorful blend of spices and aromatics. Aloo Gobi Matar can be prepared as a dry or semi-dry dish, where the vegetables are stir-fried with the spices, or as a curry-style dish, where a gravy or sauce is created by adding water, tomatoes, or other liquid ingredients.