Aloo gobi — dry-cooked potato and cauliflower with a minimal amount of spiced oil — demonstrates the Indian technique of cooking vegetables without water until they are tender, slightly browned, and coated in the oil-carried spice compounds. The "dry" technique (as opposed to a curry with sauce) requires the correct oil-to-vegetable ratio, the correct pan size for even heat distribution, and the patience to leave the vegetables undisturbed long enough for browning to develop.
- **Cauliflower florets and potato cubes must be the same size:** Different sizes cook at different rates; uniform cutting is how the technique works. - **The oil:** More than intuition suggests — the oil is both the cooking medium and the flavour carrier. Too little and the vegetables steam and stew; the correct amount produces browning. - **The spice:** Cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli. Added with the vegetables, not as a separate tarka — they fry against the vegetable surfaces as the moisture cooks off. - **Cover then uncover:** Cover for the first 10 minutes to trap steam and cook through; uncover for the last 5–8 minutes to allow browning. [VERIFY] Bharadwaj's specific timing. - **The amchur finish:** A pinch of dried mango powder (amchur) added at the end provides the bright, slightly fruity sourness that lifts the richness of the oil and spices.
Indian Cookery Course