Dinner Decisions: Aloo Gobhi

Food entrepreneur Anshu Ahuja struggles with the dinnertime rush just like the rest of us. She shares a failsafe recipe for a delicious family dinner.

‘What’s for dinner mum?’ Such a loaded question! And I wish we could say fish fingers and chips with loads of ketchup every night. But being determined to occasionally get more than beige breaded food into my children, this easy to make, one pan Aloo Gobhi is a dinner winner all round.

The original recipe is by our lovely neighbour and fellow mum Anna Jones. I’ve adapted it  ever so slightly so that the kids and adults can all eat from the same dish, which, apart from eating vegetables, is the second most important thing in our home (I don’t know why we do it to ourselves!).

Family Aloo Gobhi

What you need

• 2 heads of cauliflower, outer leaves trimmed⁠

• 2 large peeled baking potatoes⁠

• 2 cans of coconut milk

• 1 clove of garlic⁠, minced

• 1 tsp of coriander powder ⁠

• 2 tsp turmeric powder⁠

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• Fresh shelled peas - just a handful. Get the kids involved in this!

• 1 tsp of jaggery to balance the turmeric

• Salt & lemon to taste⁠

• Optional sliced green chilli, ginger julienne and coriander garnish for adults

⁠What you do

Bring a large and wide pan of water to the boil and pop your trimmed cauliflower heads and peeled potatoes in there. Cover with a lid and gently boil for 7-10minutes.

Meanwhile get your oven up to 200 degrees⁠.

In a roasting tray, whisk the coconut milk, minced garlic, turmeric, coriander and cinnamon powder, salt and lemon. When the cauliflower and potatoes are knife-tender, pop them in the tray and toss. Then into the oven to roast for 45 minutes. If it's not too much trouble then you could baste the cauliflower every 15 minutes or so. ⁠Get the kids to shell some peas and then pop them in too.

Your home will fill with the most delicious aroma of coconut and cinnamon and everyone will be waiting for dinner eagerly.⁠ You’ll know it’s ready to eat when the cauliflower tops are golden brown and falling apart and the potatoes are pillowy soft, just in case your oven is speedier than ours and it’s ready before the 45 minute window!

Serve with mint raita, buttery rice or shop-bought flat breads, and your spicy green chilli sprinkle, if you are that way inclined. ⁠

Go make this immediately, you will not be disappointed and nor will the kiddos!

Happiness all round.

Anshu Ahuja is co-founder of DabbaDrop; delicious, conscious curries delivered in Dabba boxes by bicycle in East London. Find out more about DabbaDrop on their website dabbadrop.co.uk or find them on Instagram @dabbadrop