“I could easily be vegetarian if I lived in India.” I’ve heard this phrase so many times by my non-vegetarian friends. Indian food provides so much variety and flavor that you barely miss the meat! I’m grateful that I was raised on this food, so every so often, I get a craving. This dish came in to being one random day when all I had in my fridge was cauliflower, tomatoes, onions, and frozen peas. Naturally, I had to make gobi mattar! A simple and flavorful vegetarian dish.
What is Gobi Mattar Sabzi?
Gobi mattar sabzi is a cauliflower and peas curry. Sabzi is a word that originates from Persian, but in Indian cuisine translates to any vegetable curry dish. This dish is tangy, slightly spiced and so delicious. A quick gravy is made using tomatoes, ginger, garlic, onion and chilies. It is then cooked down with spices. The cauliflower becomes tender in the gravy, absorbing its flavors. Garnish it with some fresh chopped cilantro.
I served it by itself as a quick meal with some brown rice (or seen here ragi, or millet, roti), but you can serve it alongside a full Indian meal with dal, rice, rotis and salad!
Gobi Mattar Sabzi (Cauiflower and Peas curry)
Ingredients
For the curry base
- 2 medium-sized tomatoes
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 inch nub ginger
- 2-3 thai green chillies (or 1 serrano pepper)
For the curry
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3-4 pods cardamom
- 3-4 whole cloves
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 1 head medium cauliflower cut into florets
- 3/4 cup frozen peas (thawed)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro for garnish
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2-1 tsp red chili powder to taste
- 1 pinch kasuri methi (optional)
Instructions
- In a blender or bullet cup, grind the curry base ingredients. You may need to chop the tomatoes and onion into smaller pieces and add 3-4 tbsp water to blend to a smooth paste.
- In a skillet, heat a few tbsp mild oil like sunflower and add the whole spices: cumin, cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves.
- Once cumin seeds begin to dance, add the curry base. Reduce the flame to medium and allow this base to reduce so that you can no longer smell the onions (about 10 minutes).
- Keep stirring occasionally and add water as necessary so that the curry base does not burn.
- Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 -1 tsp red chili powder depending on your spice tolerance. Add 1 tsp salt and mix well.
- Once the curry base appears darker in color and you can no longer smell the raw onions, add the cauliflower florets. Add 1 more tsp salt.
- Add 1 cup of water, cover and cook until the cauliflower is soft, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes).
- Right before the cauliflower is fully cooked, add in the frozen peas. If you add them too late, they lose their bright green color. Sprinkle in some kasuri methi if you have it. Cover and allow to steam for 1-2 minutes.
- Adjust salt to taste and garnish with cilantro.
- Serve with rice or roti!
Notes
