Jolie Cooks With Madhu Column: Cauliflower Peppers (Gobhi-Mirch Subji)

June 22, 2021

Jolie Cooks With Madhu Column:   
Cauliflower Peppers (Gobhi-Mirch Subji)

#JolieCooksWithMadhu 
#MasteringTheArtOfIndianCooking

Cauliflower doesn’t seem to rate very high on anyone’s favorite vegetable list.  I know that my children never cried out, “Pleeeeze, Mom, make cauliflower tonight!!”  Alas, that I didn’t have Madhu’s Cauliflower and Peppers recipe back then.  She coaxes out a burst of flavors from a beautiful mix of veggies that looks and tastes fresh.  

All Curries are Not in a Sauce

To begin her section on Indian vegetables in The Indian Vegan Kitchen (IVK), Madhu describes the two main cooking techniques: they are cooked “dry” in a tiny amount of water or curried in a sauce. In this recipe using the “dry” method, the cauliflower and red, green, and yellow peppers are steamed in their own juices and a spice mix. It looks as healthy as it is.  As in all of Madhu’s recipes, very little oil is used. I had bought some amchur powder, made from dried mangos, at the Indian grocery store, and I prefer it to lemon juice, which can be used as an amchur substitute. Plus, I really felt like a pro when sprinkling it on the veggie mixture as it cooked.  

Five Stars

My husband and I loved this recipe and gave it five stars.  Honest, my mouth is literally watering as I write. This recipe, too, tasted better the next day. I’m planning to serve this appealing dish to our children and grandkids, and I’ll let you know if they like it as much as we did.

Madhu’s Comments: 

Jolie, I’m so glad you enjoyed the Cauliflower Peppers. Thank you for bringing up the topic of dry vs. curried in a sauce. Indian cuisine is frequently simplified as a curry, which translates to everything in a yellow sauce. The cauliflower recipe is a good example of a sukhi subji (literal translation is dry vegetable dish), where the spices coat the food, and there is no sauce.

You also discovered amchur (mango powder); it’s a great shelf-stable spice that adds a sour taste to the dishes. Although you can substitute it with lemon or lime juice, I always have amchur on hand for its convenience and unique taste.

Cauliflower is a beloved vegetable in Indian cuisine. Most restaurants serve Aloo Ghobi (Cauliflower Potatoes) as one of the main dishes. Peppers are a nice compliment to cauliflower and are packed with nutrients. This is a nice low calorie, flavorful dish. 

Recipe: Cauliflower Peppers (Gobhi-Mirch Subji) - The Indian Vegan Kitchen, page 93.

Disclaimer: "Jolie Cooks with Madhu" is an independent column. The views expressed are Jolie Zimmers's personal cooking experiences and do not represent any product or company. They are not paid or reimbursed by any third party for their viewpoints.