Do you remember Bend It Like Beckham?  A little movie about soccer and following your dreams that launched a couple of careers (Kira Knightly for one) and was a sleeper hit.  Though a certified sports nut I really loved the scenes of the family gatherings and delicious food.  It reminds me of my own crazy family gatherings where down home food and “sage advice” from elders are the order of the day.  In between bites of fried noodles or dumplings my cousins and I nod in respectful agreement at our aunties and uncles then turn our heads to each other and roll our eyes when the inquisition begins.  Boyfriend? Girlfriend? When you getting married?  The food and their good intentions make the interrogation worth it.

Hidden in the DVD of the movie I found an entertaining bonus clip of the mom and auntie demonstrating how to make Aloo Gobi. A cauliflower and potato curry flavored with onions and tomatoes and spiced with garam masala, chili, ginger, garlic and cumin.  Inspired by the clip I made their version but this time went searching for another recipe.

So I turned to a favorite blog, Ministry of Curry and typed in Aloo Gobi. BINGO, up popped not just a recipe for Aloo Gobi but an Instant Pot version.  The pressure cooker makes short work of the dish.  Perfect for a quick weekday meal.

Prep the ingredients and have them ready to go into your pot.  I cut the cauliflower in good sized chunks and sliced the potato into wedges.  If you are a spice wimp like me use half the amount of garam masala.  Saute’ the spices and vegetables in the pot, cover, pressure cook for a couple of minutes. Voila’ dinner is on the table in the blink of an eye.  If you like your cauliflower with a bit of bite cook for 2 minutes.  I prefer them softer so I use 3 minutes.   Quick release the pressure or the veggies will be too soft.  Tasty dishes like this make it so much easier to focus on eating more vegetables and less meat.  Good for us and for the planet.

This dish can also be cooked on the stovetop.  Saute the onions, garlic, ginger and tomatoes. Add spices except salt and garam masala just like the IP recipe.  Stir in the cauliflower and potatoes, add water and  reduce heat to medium. Cook for 6-8 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add garam masala and salt, stir, cover and continue to cook until potatoes and cauliflower are at desired doneness approximately 10 minutes.  Stir in cilantro reserving some for garnish.  For conventional cooking cut the vegetables smaller or par-boil them halfway this will shorten the cooking time.

A shortcut to peeling and cutting your tomatoes, grating!

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A-Looo? Anybody there? It’s Gobi time! (Cauliflower and Potato Curry)

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion thinly sliced
• 1-2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger minced
• 2 plum tomatoes grated
• 4 cups cauliflower florets cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 medium russet potato peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 tbsp cooking oil or ghee
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp mild Kashmiri red chili powder Less if using a spicier chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin-coriander powder spice blend
• 1-1/2 tsp garam masala Add 1/2 to 3/4 tsp for a mild to medium spicy curry
• 1 tsp salt
• cilantro for garnish lots

Instructions

• Turn Instant Pot to Saute mode.
• Once the hot sign displays add oil and cumin seeds. Sauté for 30 secs.
• Add onions and mix well. Cook covered with a glass lid on for 3-4 min.
• Add ginger and garlic, stir and cook for additional minute.
• Add tomatoes, mix and cook covered for 2 minutes.
• Add turmeric, red chili powder, cumin-coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well.
• Add potatoes and cauliflower florets. Add ¼ cup of water. Mix well.
• Put Instant Pot lid on with pressure valve to sealing. Cook on Manual(Hi) for 3 mins. Note: Cook for only 2 mins if you like cauliflower to be more firm.
• Quick Release and stir gently. Garnish with cilantro.
• Serve hot with naan. I like mine with rice.