Aloo gobi — potato and cauliflower dry-cooked with spices until both vegetables are tender but not wet — demonstrates the subji (dry vegetable) technique: cooking vegetables in fat and spices until they are completely tender through their own released moisture, without any added liquid. The absence of additional liquid is not a deprivation — it is a technique that concentrates the vegetable's flavour and produces a dry, cohesive preparation rather than a wet, sauced curry.
- **The cumin seed bloom:** Cumin seeds in hot ghee or oil until they sputter and darken slightly (10 seconds) — the foundation of the north Indian vegetable technique. - **The potato:** Cubed, parboiled 5 minutes before adding to the pan — the parboiling means the potato will finish cooking in the same time as the cauliflower. - **The cauliflower:** Cut into small florets — even sizing ensures simultaneous cooking. - **The spice coating:** Turmeric, coriander, cumin, chilli powder, dried mango powder — stirred through the oil-coated vegetables to coat every surface. - **The covered cook:** The pan covered — the vegetables generate their own steam, cooking through without added water. The lid is lifted and stirred periodically, but most cooking occurs covered. - **The dry finish:** The lid removed for the final 5 minutes — any residual moisture evaporates, leaving the vegetables dry and slightly caramelised. Decisive moment: The decision to remove the lid for the final dry finish. The vegetables should be completely tender before the lid is removed — any remaining hardness cannot be corrected during the uncovered phase (the brief uncovered time produces a dry surface before the interior is done).
Indian Cookery Course