Aloo Gobi Matar | Potato Cauliflower Peas

This aloo gobi matar is a dry version of side dish made with potatoes, cauliflower and green peas cooked in spices like cumin and the usual suspects. We love this served with some simple dal and rice or roti or with just plain yoghurt. Follow my recipe technique to get a perfectly cooked aloo gobi mutter where all the three are the star of the dish. If you know what I mean! 😂

Before I continue, please be informed that we did not grow up eating Aloo Gobi Matar because this is typically a north Indian food. I am a south Indian who loves her idli sambar vada and yet hardly make them. 😐 Shame. But as an Indian, 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 must have tried a handful of them. Some add tomatoes to make it a wet version, some add onions and tomatoes, some add more masalas, etc. So no two families have the same recipe! 

F loves potatoes and sometimes more than the meat! I have seen him scoop all the potato chunks from my aloo gosht and give me the grin. 😁 About cauliflower? I used to make Gobi Paratha a lot but off late I haven't been making parathas because I want to have some side dish recipes that are quick, easy and flavourful. And then the green peas - I always use frozen ones - they are a saviour most of the time, don't you agree? I use up my stock mostly making my mutter paneer and poori masala and more recently on my semiya upma. 

Aloo Gobi Matar or Mutter or Mattar - This is a perfect combo of veggies that compliments each other fulfilling the nutritious needs in a meal. I knew what I wanted but the recipes I tried never translated to my liking until I tried Vegan Richa's recipe. Then came the struggle 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 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! 

How to make aloo gobi mutter dry recipe?

Prepping the Potatoes and Cauliflower: Make sure to chop both the potatoes and florets in similar size so it cooks evenly. I like to soak the potato chunks in plain water for about 10 to 20 minutes and rinse before using. I think this helps in even cooking in lesser time. 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 it drain until needed. 

What type of pan to use? I also found using a smaller pan to fit the ingredients tightly helps in cooking evenly while retaining the shape. This allows some pieces of potato and cauliflower to get charred adding flavour and crunch. I have used an 8inch cast iron skillet. I find a flat based pan gives helps better than deep kadai or pot where steam builds more making the veggies too soft and mushy.

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 lowest and add all the spice powders like turmeric, red chilli, coriander and cumin and fry for a minute.

Rinse the soaked potato cubes and dump them 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. 

Open and stir in the cauliflower florets and again cook covered for 15 to 20 minutes but make sure to open every 5 minutes to stir the veggies. You may drizzle some oil if you find it too dry. Now because we are using a smaller pan, stir carefully lest the pieces fly out of the pan! :-) 

I haven't added any salt yet because I don't want it to get mushy. 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 only after the potatoes and cauliflower are tender and need just a few minutes to finish off. Don't thaw the green peas if the veggies are already fully cooked. The cold peas will help stop the potatoes and florets from cooking further. 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.

Aloo Gobi Mutter (dry version) Recipe | Potato Cauliflower Green Peas

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon any cooking oil 
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• a good pinch of hing (asafoetida)
• 2 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
• 2 cups of chopped potato cubes (420gms chopped), soaked in water until required
• 2 cups cauliflower florets (240gms chopped), washed under running water in a colander and drained 
• 1/2 cup frozen or boiled green peas
• Salt to taste
• oil to drizzle while cooking if needed
• a fistful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped 

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a shallow skillet on a medium flame. 
2. Add the cumin seeds and let it sizzle. 
3. 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. 
4. Reduce the flame to lowest and add all the spice powders and fry for a minute.
5. Rinse and dump the potato chunks and carefully mix to coat the pieces. Cook covered for 5 minutes on low to medium flame.
6. Open and stir in the cauliflower florets and again cook covered for 15 to 20 minutes but make sure to open every 5 minutes to stir the veggies. You may drizzle some oil if you find it too dry.
7. Check if the potatoes are cooked through using a knife to cut through the piece. Add the boiled or frozen green peas along with salt only after the potatoes and cauliflower are tender and need just a few minutes to finish off. Don't thaw the green peas if the veggies are already fully cooked. The cold peas will help stop the potatoes and florets from cooking further. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes or until the veggies are cooked and tender. 
8. Switch off and stir in the freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve with any Indian flatbreads or rice along with yoghurt or dal or any Indian curries. 

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

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