Dhaba-Style Aloo Gobi with Pan-Fried Florets

Method

1. Cut the cauliflower into 4 cm florets and the potatoes into 2 cm cubes. Soak the potatoes in cold water for 10 minutes to rinse off starch. Pat potatoes and cauliflower completely dry with paper towels, then toss with part of the turmeric and the vegetable salt. Any water left on them will make the hot oil spit, so dry them well. Grate 60% of the ginger and cut the rest into fine matchsticks; finely chop the onion and tomato.

   Add in this stepGround turmeric ¼ tspSalt (for the vegetables) ½ tsp

2. Pour the frying oil into a frying pan and heat over medium-high heat to about 170 °C: a potato cube should sizzle steadily the moment it goes in. Pan size and number of batches: 24 cm · 1×. Slide the potatoes in away from you and fry each batch for 7 min, turning, until golden on all sides and almost cooked, then lift onto paper towels. Never leave hot oil unattended; if it smokes, lower the heat.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil (for frying) 120 mlPotatoes 240 g

   medium-high heat

3. Keeping the same oil over medium-high heat, fry the cauliflower (24 cm · 1×) for 5 min per batch, until the floret tips are deep brown and the stalks still have a slight bite. Drain on paper. An overcrowded pan steams instead of frying, so work in batches.

   Add in this stepCauliflower 300 g

   medium-high heat

4. Pour off the oil (let it cool before disposing). Melt the ghee in a 24 cm wide pan over medium heat, add the cumin seeds and, when they sizzle, the onion. Fry for 4 min until golden.

   Add in this stepGhee 1½ tbspCumin seeds ¾ tspOnion 80 g

   medium heat

5. Add the grated ginger, garlic and chili for 30 seconds, then the tomato, remaining turmeric, chili powder, ground coriander and salt. Cook over medium heat for 5 min, mashing, until thick and jammy with ghee glistening at the edges.

   Add in this stepFresh ginger 7.2 gGarlic cloves 3Hot green chili 1Tomato 120 gGround turmeric ½ tspKashmiri chili powder ½ tspGround coriander 1 tspSalt (for the masala) ½ tsp

   medium heat

6. Add the fried potato and cauliflower and toss to coat. Sprinkle over the amchur and garam masala and crush in the dried fenugreek leaves. Cover and leave over medium-low heat for 4 min so the flavours soak in. It's ready when a knife slides easily into a potato.

   Add in this stepAmchur (dried mango powder; or 1 tsp lemon juice) ½ tspGaram masala ½ tspKasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) 1 tsp

   medium-low heat

7. Top with the ginger matchsticks and plenty of cilantro and serve straight away, while the edges are still crisp, with roti or paratha.

   Add in this stepFresh ginger 4.8 gChopped cilantro 2 tbsp