Phul Gobi
Phul gobi is a dry cauliflower dish from northern India. The name simply means “cauliflower” in Hindi, and the dish keeps to the basics: cauliflower, onion, peppers, and green chilli are cooked in ghee with turmeric and salt. No sauce, no tomatoes, no heavy spice blends.
The light seasoning is the point. Turmeric gives the colour and a mild, earthy base, and the heat comes from fresh green chilli rather than dried spices. The cauliflower is allowed to keep its own flavour, and the peppers add sweetness and crunch towards the end of the cooking time.
The dish is served as a side in an Indian meal, typically alongside dal, a sauce-based curry, and chapati or rice. It also works well on its own with a little raita on the side.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 3 tbsp ghee (or oil)
- 1 onion, sliced
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 cauliflower, broken into florets
- 2 fresh green chillies, deseeded
- 1 green pepper, in strips
- 1 yellow pepper, in strips
- 1 red pepper, in strips
- salt
Directions
Heat the ghee or oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat.
Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
Stir in the turmeric and cook for 1 minute so the spice wakes up in the fat.
Add the cauliflower florets and season with salt. Toss thoroughly so the florets are coated in the yellow fat.
Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir once during cooking to prevent sticking. The cauliflower should be almost tender but still with some bite.
Add the sliced peppers and chopped green chilli. Stir gently and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes until the peppers are tender but still holding their colour.
Taste and adjust salt, then serve.
Notes
Active time about 5 minutes, total time 25–30 minutes.
Ghee gives the rounded, slightly nutty flavour that is characteristic of the dish. Neutral oil works, but the flavour is flatter.
For more heat, leave the seeds in the chillies. Alternatively, leave out the chilli entirely and the dish is still good.
Leftovers keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator and reheat best in a pan so the peppers do not turn watery.
See Also
Cucumber Raita (Kheera Raita)
Mint Raita
Green Chutney
Mango Chutney (Indian Style)
