Alu Gobi

I like various kinds of ethnic food, and since I work in the Dearborn area, one of the pleasant perks is that over the last decade I've been introduced to a multitude of cuisines that I might not otherwise have enjoyed. Thai, Polish, Mexican, Arabic, and Indian just to name a few, the dishes I've sampled at lunch really can make it easier to get through the day, and have changed my tastes quite a bit.

One of my favorite discoveries was Alu Gobi, or Cauliflower Alu. There's a decent Indian restaurant about 3 miles from where I work that has a nice buffet. Tandoori Chicken, Naan, Curry and Basmati Rice are common fare on this buffet, but there's a few dishes that rotate depending on the day, and one day the main Alu dish was cauliflower based. There's just something about cauliflower that is so tasty. It bears a lot of similarity to broccoli, but it's not as fibrous, nor is the taste quite as harsh. It absorbs sauces better, and there is little taste difference between the buds and stems.

In my opinion, cauliflower is on of the better vegetables, especially for cooking. There's so much you can do with it. It's use in Alu Gobi is similar to potato, as it really encorporates the tastes of all the spices and sauces, but it does it without becoming mushy, which is why I like it more than potato. I also think it has a better taste than potato, so I like it better in Alu than potato. The only other ingredient that I've had in an Alu is eggplant, which while it was ok, wasn't anywhere as good as the cauliflower.

It's hard to describe a taste in words, but what I can tell you about Alu Gobi is that it has a savory taste. It definitely has some similarities to other indian dishes, at least spice wise, but there's something about this dish that puts it up above other similar dishes. It just works.