Restaurant-style Aloo Gobi without cashew paste and cream

Aloo Gobi curry, cooked in restaurant-style gravy. With step-by-step instructions, making this restaurant-style vegetable curry is very easy. Serve the sabji as an accompaniment with rice or Indian bread.

What makes restaurant dishes exotic? is cashew nut paste and the generous use of cream and butter. But, the recipe I’m sharing today is a lighter version, there are no cashews, butter, or cream. Yet the dish will be how you get in an Indian restaurant, with amazing flavors, rich and creamy gravy.

Aloo Gobi

What is Aloo Gobi?

Aloo Gobhi is a vegetarian side dish, to any Indian meal. Aloo is the Hindi word for Potatoes and Gobi for Cauliflower.

Potato is a favorite vegetable and cauliflower is equally hearty and satisfying.

The two vegetables make a great combination and are a popular side dish in many Indian houses. There are various ways this dish is made. We make a dry version to have with rice and dal. Semi-dry or curry to have with parathas, rotis, or basmati rice.

But, surprisingly, potatoes and cauliflower did not originate in India.

Potatoes were first produced in South Africa and were introduced to India by the Portuguese.

Cauliflower was originated in Asia around the Mediterranean and was introduced to India by the British.

Aloo Gobhi is our favorite winter vegetable. In the winter season, when the vegetables taste the best, I make this dish very often. Potatoes and Cauliflower are very adaptive to flavors. They absorb all the flavors from the different spices/masalas.

About Aloo Gobi recipe

Many of my friends love restaurant curries but do not make the same at home assuming the process is time-consuming and needs rich ingredients like cashews, cream, and butter.

Today’s recipe is an answer to all the misconceptions. Unlike other aloo gobi recipes you find on the internet, this version doesn’t have any cream or cashew in it. Even without these two ingredients, the gravy is luscious, thick, silky smooth, and creamy. Also, the dish gets ready within 30 minutes.

Aloo Gobhi Masala is one of the vegetarian curries that appears on every North Indian restaurant and dhaba menu.

In restaurants, the dish has to be ready within minutes. So, everything is made in advance. Vegetables are either deep-fried or par-boiled and tossed in the prepared gravies.

In my recipe, you neither have to deep fry the veggies nor make different gravies. It’s a one-pot vegetarian side dish recipe. Base gravy flavored with Indian spices makes the sabzi delicious.

Base gravy is made with onion tomato masala, a paste made with curd, desiccated coconut, a special ingredient to thicken the gravy, and a few basic spices common in the pantry. Aloo and Gobhi are simmered in the flavorful gravy till tender.

For authentic restaurant taste, you need to cook the ingredients very well else there will be a raw taste in the gravy. The process is a bit time-consuming but it’s totally worth the effort and time.

In my family, we love vegetables to have a bite in them. However, you can cook them as per your preference.

Reasons to make

Easy & quick to make.

Very less prep work.

Restaurant-style rich, delicious, aromatic, and creamy.

Perfect for weekday or weekend meals.

One-pan dish.

A great option for a special occasion, party, or get-together at home.

Kids friendly.

Pro Tips

1. Soak the cauliflower florets in turmeric and salt mixed water for 5-10 minutes. Drain the water and rinse the florets well.

2. Do not cut the veggies small. After cooking, they will break while mixing and easily turn mushy. Cut medium size, they will retain the shape.

3. Saute the chopped onion on medium heat till it gets golden brown, not burnt.

4. I cook the spice powders (turmeric powder and Kashmiri red chili powder) in oil right after the onion and ginger-garlic are cooked and add little water to avoid spices from burning. This step gives a bright red color to the gravy.

5. Cook the tomato puree and curd masala on medium heat till the oil separates and is seen on the sides of the pan.

6. Keep stirring the gravy at regular intervals. Because of the coconut, there are chances the masala may stick to the bottom.

7. Saute the vegetables well with the onion-tomato masala. This will give the best taste.

Ingredients to make Alu Gobi

Vegetables: Potato and Cauliflower. Select a cauliflower (phool gobhi) that is tight, does not have any gaps in between, and has no dark spots on the top.

Oil: Use any neutral cooking oil.

Onion & Tomato: To make base gravy. To make restaurant-style curries, always use juicy and ripened red Bangalore (hybrid) tomatoes as they are not sour.

Another option is canned tomato paste. It has an intense tomato flavor and gives a nice color to the gravy.

Ginger-Garlic paste

Whole spices: green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, and cumin seeds.

Special masala paste: Curd/Yogurt, desiccated coconut, coriander powder, tandoori masala, red chili powder.

Use fresh curd and make sure it is not sour. Also, I’ve used Everest brand tandoori masala to enhance the taste.

Spices: turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder.

While making restaurant-style dishes at home, I always use two chili powders – red chili powder that adds spice and Kashmiri red chili powder that gives a vibrant red color.

If making for kids you can reduce the spice powders or skip red chili powder and use only Kashmiri red chili powder.

Milk powder: This is a game-changer and economical ingredient in this dish. It will not only thicken the gravy but also make the gravy creamy.

You can substitute it with milk but there are chances milk may curdle in the gravy.

Kasuri methi: A secret ingredient that adds a wonderful aroma and distinct taste to this dish. Any Punjabi restaurant-style dish is incomplete without kasuri methi. There is no substitute for this ingredient.

Being a secret ingredient, do not get tempted to add more, the gravy will taste bitter.

Coriander/Cilantro: Adds fresh aroma to the dish. Always use fresh leaves to garnish.

Seasoning: salt to taste.

How to make Aloo Gobi

1 & 2. In a blender jar add curd, red chili powder, coriander powder, desiccated coconut, and store-bought tandoori masala. Grind till smooth and keep aside.

Blending curd with spices will avoid it from curdling.

3 & 4. Grind chopped tomatoes, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom, and coriander stems to a smooth puree and keep aside.

5. Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Let the seeds crackle.

6. Add finely chopped onions and saute on medium heat till light brown color.

Stir at regular intervals for even coloring.

7. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes away.

8. Turn the flame to low and add turmeric powder and Kashmiri red chili powder. Add little water and fry till the oil separates.

9, 10 & 11. Add tomato puree. Saute on medium heat till moisture reduces and oil oozes out on the sides.

12. Next, add the curd paste and mix well stirring continuously.

13. Saute till oil separates.

14 & 15. Add chopped potatoes and cauliflower. Mix well with the masala. Saute for 3-5 minutes. Add salt and mix well.

16. Turn the flame to high and add hot water.

17. Add milk powder and mix well until it is dissolved completely.

18. Add kasuri methi (crush it between palms and add to the dish). Give a good mix.

19. Check for seasoning and add if needed. Cover the pan and simmer on low flame for 10-15 mins.

20. Turn off the flame and add coriander leaves. Restaurant-style Aloo Gobi curry is ready. Serve hot or warm with your choice of bread or rice.

What can I serve with Aloo Gobi?

The versatile side dish in any Indian meal. The sabji goes well with all types of Indian bread like roti, paratha, naan, rumali roti alongside some salad or sirke wale pyaaz and lemon wedges to make a complete meal.

You can also relish the curry with rice varieties like basmati rice, veg pulao, jeera rice alongside raita.

How to store Aloo Gobi curry?

You can refrigerate the leftover in an air-tight container for 3-5 days. As the curry cools, the gravy will thicken.

Before serving. reheat in a microwave or on a stovetop.

How to reheat in a microwave? Transfer the sabzi to a microwave-safe container, add little water, and mix well. Microwave until the curry is warm/hot. Stir occasionally so that the dish gets heated thoroughly.

How to reheat on the stovetop: Transfer the curry to a pan, add little water, and heat on medium flame. Stir well and cook until the gravy starts to bubble from the sides. Turn off the flame and serve hot.

Variations

1. You can add some green peas (fresh or frozen) to make aloo matar gobi. Fresh green peas take more time to cook, so add them along with potato and cauliflower.

2. Can add paneer cubes to make paneer masala curry. It will have a taste similar to paneer butter masala but without cream.

3. Another variation is adding mixed vegetables like carrots, beans, and capsicum.

mix veg without cashews and cream

More Related Recipes

Aloo Matar

Cauliflower fry

Aloo Gobhi Matar

Potato fry

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Recipe Card

Restaurant-style Aloo Gobi without cashew and cream

Author: Santosh Allada
A classic vegetarian Indian side dish made with potatoes and cauliflower. Relish it as either an accompaniment or main entree.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Curry, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Indian, North Indian
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

Vegetables

  • 2 medium Potatoes (cut in to medium size pieces)
  • 1/2 Cauliflower (medium size florets)

For Curd paste

  • 1/4 cup Curd (not sour)
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tbsp Red chili powder
  • 1/2 tbsp Coriander powder
  • 1 tsp Tandoori masala (or kitchen king masala)
  • 1 tbsp Desiccated coconut

For Curry

  • 3 tbsp Oil
  • 1 large Onion (finely chopped)
  • 2 medium Tomatoes (grind to smooth puree)
  • 2 small Green cardamom (elaichi)
  • 2 Cloves (laung)
  • 1 inch Cinnamon stick (dalchini)
  • 2 medium Bay leaf
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds (jeera)
  • 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp Kasuri methi
  • 1/2 tbsp Milk powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Coriander leaves to garnish

Instructions
 

To make tomato puree

  • In a blender jar, add chopped tomatoes, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom, and coriander stems. Blend to a smooth puree and keep aside.
  • After adding this puree to the pan, use the same jar to make curd paste.

To make curd paste

  • In a blender jar add curd, red chili powder, coriander powder, desiccated coconut, tandoori masala. Blend till smooth and keep aside.

To make Aloo Gobi curry

  • Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Let the seeds crackle.
  • Add finely chopped onions and saute on medium heat till golden color.
  • Add ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes away.
  • Turn the flame to low and add turmeric powder and kashmiri red chili powder. Add little water and fry till oil separates.
  • Add tomato puree. Saute on medium heat till moisture reduces and oil oozes out on the sides.
  • Next, add the curd paste and saute till oil separates.
  • Add chopped potatoes and cauliflower. Mix well with the masala.
  • Saute for 3-5 minutes. Add salt and mix well.
  • Turn the flame to high and add hot water.
  • Add milk powder and mix well.
  • Add kasuri methi (crush it between palms and add to the dish). Give a good mix.
  • Check for seasoning and add if needed. Cover the pan and simmer on low flame for 10-15 mins.
  • Restaurant-style Aloo Gobi curry is ready. Add coriander leaves and serve hot.

Notes

Clean the cauliflower well before cooking.
Cut the vegetables in equal size for even cooking.
Do not overcook the vegetables.
You can make different variations with this recipe.


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