aloo gobi

Aloo Gobi

2 Onions (fine dice)
3 large Yukon Gold potatoes (pre-simmered for about 12 minutes to par-cook, large dice)
1 head Cauliflower (separated into bite-size florets, blanched for about 5 minutes to par-cook)
4 Roma Tomatoes (finely chopped)
5-6 cloves Garlic (minced)
roughly the same amount of Ginger (minced or diced as fine as you can)
2 Green Chillies (fine dice)
2 Bay Leaves
1 bunch Cilantro (fine chop)

Spices and Seasoning
the key spices here are cumin, coriander, turmeric and Kashmiri  Mirch chili powder. you could probably substitute these with just a garam masala mix from a supermarket but if it's at all possible i'd recommend trying to find the Kashmiri Mirch. the bright red colour can't be replicated without changing the flavour drastically and getting a good roast on the spice is a key flavour of this dish. also be sure to reserve a lemon's worth of juice in addition to salt + pepper for seasoning at the end

you can use any neutral oil like vegetable or canola for this.
start in the pan on medium heat with the onions. cook them for at least 10 to 15 minutes before adding the spices, chillies, garlic, ginger and bay leaves. and here is the tricky part: you wanna reduce the heat slightly so nothing burns but the longer these things cook together it only makes the dish more flavourful. the body of an aloo gobi is essentially a roux made from onions, garlic and ginger that have completely broken down and the spices you've just added. it is far more important to not burn anything so don't go overboard, but you can easily let these ingredients cook off in the pan for about an hour and it only makes the result better. don't be afraid to reduce the heat, add more oil if you need stuff to stop sticking or add a splash of water if things are looking too dry (it should get kinda pasty but not desiccated).

once the onion mixture has reached a point you like, throw in the tomatoes and cook them until they start to break down nicely. at this point add a half-cup of water to the pan (if your pan is particularly wide, don't be afraid to add more water. it'll be reducing faster and you don't want this to become dry!). wait until the water has reached about a simmer and throw in your pre-blanched diced potato and cauliflower florets. cook then until the water has reduced into the consistency of sauce that you want for the dish. traditionally the sauce is pretty tight, only really coating the large chunks of potato and cauliflower and not any liquid sitting in the pan.

at this point while it's basically done but still sitting on the heat you wanna season the dish to taste with salt + pepper and lemon. toss in the chopped cilantro right at the end to lift the intense savoury curry flavours and keep the dish from feeling too heavy