These cauliflower florets and peas are coated with a delicious masala, or sauce, of onions, tomatoes and other great Indian stuff you can scrounge up in your pantry. Get ready to whip up one of the most popular vegetable entrées from your favorite Indian restaurant!! If you ask me, it’s very easy to be vegetarian or vegan in India. We make the most boring vegetables interesting with the mind boggling flavors from our herbs and spices. With every single bite, be it with rotis, naan or some rice and dal, you wouldn’t even miss your meat. There are lots and lots of easy vegetarian meals coming your way this year, just stay tuned and subscribe to GypsyPlate.
What is Gobi Matar?
Gobi Matar is a popular vegetarian dish in Indian cuisine that features cauliflower (Gobi) and green peas (Matar) as the main ingredients. I simply love these tender cauliflower florets that soak up the dry masala, made in a few very easy steps, sprinkled with the sweetness of peas. This is a popular north Indian dish, which uses some basic Indian spices. You can make it dry or saucier, and anywhere from mild to medium to spicy, according to your taste. However you customize it, you will love the tangy sweet sauce created from your onion and tomato base. Eating sauteéd vegetables like these is an everyday affair in any Indian household.
Ingredients Needed
Cauliflower – I wash and cut into medium sized florets. Peas – Fresh if you can find any. That’s how we eat in India, everything fresh, but frozen works as well. Onion – You need plenty to make the base of the sauce. When it caramelizes, it gives sweet notes to your masala. Tomatoes – For tanginess. Garlic – Lots of it! Ginger – That goes hand in hand with garlic in every Indian dish. Turmeric – Good for you. Red chili powder – Try to find Kashmiri red chili powder, but in a pinch replace it with paprika. Coriander powder – My favorite Indian spice. Green chilies – Either serranos or jalepenõs. Optional, depending on if you like a little heat. Cumin seeds (jeera) – I love cumin seeds in Indian dishes. Whole garam masala spices – Cloves, whole black pepper and a few small cinnamon sticks. You don’t eat them but they add lots of flavor. Cilantro – For garnish,.
Gobi Matar Recipe
You will need one head of cauliflower. I like my florets a little chunkier, so they aren’t just mush after cooking. Cut, wash and set aside. I finely chop onions and tomatoes and chop a green serrano chili, which is optional depending on how spicy you like it. I make a rough paste of garlic and ginger. I use plenty of these two to get that Indian flavor going. I like my mortar and pestle to make this rough paste. I heat oil in a pan over medium heat, and when it’s hot, I add a few whole black peppercorns, cloves, and small chunks of cinnamon, along with a few cumin seeds (jeera). I sauté these spices for a few seconds just to release the aromas and flavors from the whole spices. Remember, we don’t eat these spices, except for the cumin seeds. You might choose to remove them before serving your guests. I add the chopped onions to the pan and sauté them until they turn golden brown. Then I add the tomatoes, green chilies, and salt to taste. Next, I stir in the spice powders: turmeric, red chili powder, and coriander powder. I cook everything for a few minutes, then add the ginger and garlic paste. I keep stirring until everything is well combined and the mixture turns into a nice sauce. I continue cooking until the tomatoes break down and the oil starts to separate a bit from the mixture. This whole process should take no more than 10 minutes. Now it’s time to add those cauliflower florets and stir well. I turn the stove to medium-low, cover the pan, and let it cook for about 5 minutes. If I notice the mixture starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, I add about ½ cup of water to keep everything moist and prevent burning. When the cauliflower starts getting tender, I add the frozen peas. If I’m using fresh peas, I add them a bit earlier since they need more time to cook. And that’s it. When your vegetables are cooked, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve it up. Some people like it saucier, and that’s easy achieved by adding more water. I like my cauliflower peas dry, where the sauce is nicely coating all the vegetables.
Alpana’s Tips
- Prep ahead: I start by cutting the cauliflower into even-sized florets and washing them thoroughly. I also chop the onions, tomatoes, and green chili, and make a rough paste of the ginger and garlic. Once everything is ready, then its easier to cook Indian food.
- Make the Masala well: I add the chopped onions and cook them until golden brown, then follow with the tomatoes and spices. I cook these until they start breaking down a bit and oil starts to septette from the mixture.
- Cooking the cauliflower: After adding cauliflower, I check every few minutes to stir and make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. If it looks dry, I add about ½ cup of water to prevent burning, but I keep it minimal to avoid making the dish too watery.
- Season well: I add salt, Kashmiri red chili powder (or paprika), turmeric, and coriander powder. I make sure to mix everything well so the spices evenly coat the vegetables. Kashmiri red chili powder is not spicy, if you want it spicer, add serrano pepper or hotter variety of Indian chili powder.
- Timing the peas: When the cauliflower is nearly tender, that’s when I add the peas. If they’re fresh, they might need a bit longer to cook, so I add them little earlier.
Serving Suggestions
Just writing all this makes me want to make it again. Try it, my friends, this New Year and I bet you are gonna get hooked to the Indian style of eating veggies. There is a whole new world of flavors waiting for you!!
Cauliflower Peas Masala (Gobi Matar), on our Gypsy Plate… Enjoy!!!
Make it an Indian feast with some of my other specialtiesAlpana’s Chicken MasalaTomato Cucumber RaitaChicken TikkasCilantro Mint ChutneyAloo PalakVindaloo PastePork Vindaloo
