Gobi Matar Sabzi

This was my first foray into Indian cuisine. I haven't eaten that much Indian food. So, I don't have a good point of reference. The recipe I went off of is from my "menu planning" blog - This Week for Dinner. I was pretty pleased with how it turned out!

It took about 30 minutes to prepare. There is a lot of prep work. Once the prep is done, the dish comes together pretty quickly. The seasoning is just right. It definitely has an Indian flavor. The recipe calls for an "onion paste." I'm sure such a thing exists at a specialty foods store, but I couldn't find it. I used an onion, my zester, and A LOT of elbow grease to make my onion paste. The only issue was that it created a river of "onion water." In the future, I would have a paper towel underneath to catch the liquid.

I don't think I can eat this dish every week, but it is a great way to spice up (no pun intended!) the week! It will take a place in the rotation.



Gobi Matar Sabzi
Original recipe from my veggie world

- 1 big onion ground to a fine paste
- 1 big tomato pureed
- 1 tsp ground ginger --> I used 1t of fresh, minced ginger
- 1 tsp garlic powder (or minced fresh garlic, 1-2 cloves)
- 1 tsp green chili paste --> I used on 1/2 tsp of my stock curry paste, & wowza! It was spicy! I will tone it down next time
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
- 1 cup cleaned cauliflower florets
- salt to taste (between 1 tsp and 1 TBSP)
- pinch of turmeric
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder
- 3 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tbsp oil
- chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat oil (mediumish heat). Add onion paste and fry till cooked or until raw smell disappears. Add ginger, garlic (if using fresh), green chili paste and saute for one minute. Add tomato puree and cook till paste is thick. Add powdered spices and salt. Stir then add vegetables. Cover and simmer over medium heat until cauliflower is tender [about 15 minutes on low/med]. Add chopped fresh cilantro prior to serving.

Serve with basmati rice, with fresh cilantro added to the rice just prior to serving.