Phool Kobi ane Bateta Nu Shaak

Phool Kobi ane Bateta Nu Shaak
Phool Kobi ane Bateta Nu Shaak is simply stir fried cauliflower and potato side dish, Gujarati style. Actually, it is so easy to make, it gets ready within 10 minutes. This shaak or sabji is usually served with roti and a dal. We love to have it with either Tuvar Dal or sabut moong.
What is Cauliflower?
Did you know that the name cauliflower originates from the Italian name cavolfiore which means cabbage flower? Belonging to the species Brassica Oleracea, only the head or what is sometimes referred to as the curd (as it looks similar to curd cheese) is eaten. By the way, did you know that cauliflower belongs to the same group as cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, kale, collard green and the group is sometimes referred to as ‘cole’ crops. Believed to originate from Cyprus, cauliflower is an autumn/winter crop.
Coloured Cauliflower
Growing up, I’d seen only white cauliflower. Sometimes, the stem would be a bit purplish but that I learnt was due to over exposure to the sun when the cauliflower is growing. During Autumn, a visit to the famous Jean Talon Market, Montreal is where I saw green, orange and purple cauliflowers for the first time. Of course I couldn’t believe my eyes at how colorful the cauliflowers looked. Suddenly, cauliflower became a vegetable of interest for me. Usually, I’m not a huge fan of cauliflower. If you ever come across colorful cauliflowers, make sure you include it in your diet.
- Orange is rich in beta-carotene therefore rich in Vitamin A
- Purple is rich in anthocyanin a valuable antioxidant
- Green Cauliflower also known as broccoflower is richer in beta-carotene than white ones.
Cauliflower – A Superfood
With so many health benefits, cauliflower is considered a superfood.
- Its high in fibre
- Low in calories
- An excellent source of Vitamins and Minerals, – contains mostly all the vitamins and minerals required
- Rich in sulforaphane, prevents growth of cancer cells and reduces high blood pressure
- High in antioxidants which help in reducing inflammation and protecting against chronic diseases like heart diseases. Its also believed to be valuable in fighting growth of cancer cells.
- Its a rich source of choline. Choline helps in synthesizing DNA, brain development and production of neurotransmitters.
A Low Carb alternate to Grains
With the Keto diet becoming increasingly popular, cauliflower is used to replace grains like rice, wheat, millets in producing dishes to fit a Keto diet. It replaces rice like the Chinese Cauliflower Rice, my sister’s recipe. These days its used to make pizza base, tortilla, replaces potato to make mash, replaces chickpeas to make hummus and replaces pasta to make the famous Mac and Cheese.
How to include Cauliflower in your diet
In fact, Cauliflower is tasteless on its own. It doesn’t have any particular flavour or smell which makes it very versatile to include in a variety of dishes. I like to prepare healthy starters like Grilled Cauliflower IndoChinese Style. As for my favorite soup with cauliflower, it is Cauliflower and Chickpea Soup. Adding grated cauliflower with paneer as a paratha filling was a great way to get my kids to eat cauliflower, like in Palak Paneer Parathas. In addition to this making side dishes, sabji or shaak with cauliflower is an excellent way include this superfood in your daily meal. Prepare Masala Cauliflower, or Kadhai Gobi with yogurt. Incidentally, cauliflower pairs so well with cheese that I love to serve Cauliflower Soupwith cheddar. With cauliflower in season I have to make baked cauliflower soon.
Stir Fried Cauliflower and Potato/Phool Kobi ane Bateta nu Shaak
Known as Phool Gobi in Hindi and Phool Kobi in Gujarati, its usually paired with peas (like the way Aruna makes Gobi Matar Fry ) or potatoes or both to make a simple and yet a healthy side dish(sabji,shaak) to go with hot rotis. Whenever I make this simple stir fry, it takes me more time to chop the florets into tiny tiny florets than for it to cook. What I seriously hate is overcooked cauliflower, so this side dish is cooked in such a way that the cauliflower has a bit of a bite. In addition to serving this simple shaak with hot rotis, I like to include a lentil dish like Moong Dal Tadka.
Dietary Tips:
- Gluten Free
- Vegan friendly
- Satvik friendly
- For a Keto option, use olive oil or a bit of ghee, don’t add potatoes and sugar.

STIR FRIED CAULIFLOWER AND POTATO/PHOOL KOBI ANE BATETA NU SHAAK
Ingredients
- 1½ - 2 cups cauliflower (approx 250g) finely chopped
- 1 large potato peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- ½ tsp chilli paste or 1 chilli finely chopped
- ¼ tsp sugar optional
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp coriander and cumin powder dhana jiru
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
- ¼ tsp asafoetida or hing
Instructions
- Put the oil in a frying pan or wok (kadhai). Heat it over medium flame.
- When it is hot, add the mustard, cumin and sesame seeds. When they begin to pop, add the hing, turmeric powder, ginger and chilli paste. Saute for a few seconds.
- Add the cauliflower and potatoes. Mix well. Add the salt, mix and cover the pan.
- Cook on low flame till the vegetables are just done and not over cooked. It usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes to cook.
- Switch off the heat. Add the sugar, coriander cumin powder and lemon juice. Mix well.
- Add the fresh coriander just before serving.
Notes
- Coriander and cumin powder or dhana jiru as its called is a combination of roasted coriander seeds and cumin seeds.3 parts of coriander to 1 part of cumin.
- Grind together in a coffee grinder and store in an airtight jar.
- Can add finely chopped cashew nuts to this sabji.
- Use the leftover sabji as a filling for a toasted sandwich or make stuffed parathas.
- Adjust the seasonings according to your taste.
- Try and make this shaak just 5 or 10 minutes before you need to serve. If you must make it ahead, then remove the cover of the pan till it cools down. If you leave it covered, the vegetable will become mushy.
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If you do try this recipe then please either
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33 Comments
Azlin Bloor
December 28, 2019 at 8:02 pm
A wonderful recipe, Mayuri, just the sort of recipe that would go well in our mainly vegetarian house. I’m definitely saving this to make!
mayurisjikoni
December 28, 2019 at 8:04 pm
Thank you so much Azlin, hope your family enjoys it, its healthy and easy to make.
blessmyf🍎🍏dbypayal
April 10, 2020 at 9:28 pm
Simple, tasty, flavourful and easy to go with chapati or paratha. Pictures are lipsmacking & yum to the core.
Lata Lala
April 11, 2020 at 1:07 pm
Gobhi aloo is my favorite and I think all vegetarians would agree that it’s their favourite too. The best lunch option served with any kind of dal can’t be better than this.
mayurisjikoni
April 11, 2020 at 8:34 pm
Thanks Lata and yes its a favorite for many and easy to make.
cookshideout
April 14, 2020 at 6:41 am
Love this version of aloo-gobhi Mayuri. Such simple recipe, but looks so inviting and delicious. Will try it out for the family sometime.
mayurisjikoni
April 14, 2020 at 6:01 pm
Thanks Pavani, even rolled in a roti with chutney and salad it tastes good.
FoodTrails
April 15, 2020 at 2:33 am
Simple and delicious sometimes all we need is simple dishes like this and so comforting , love to have with garam gram parathas or ghee chapatis. .
mayurisjikoni
April 16, 2020 at 4:01 pm
Thanks Swaty, I usually make this sabji when I’m running short of time. Cooks quickly and simple.
Priya Srinivasan
April 16, 2020 at 8:47 pm
Such an easy and quick stir-fry! I love both cauliflower and potatoes, i have made them as gravy, not tried like a dry subzi! Would love to try this next time! Such quick stir-fries are life-savers during the morning rush!!!
mayurisjikoni
April 17, 2020 at 6:58 pm
Thanks Priya and make good tiffin food too.
Padma Veeranki
April 16, 2020 at 10:00 pm
Simple yet flavourful curry to go with rice or roti..In fact today’s lunch at home was aloo gobi…Looking delicious 😋 dear!!
mayurisjikoni
April 17, 2020 at 6:28 pm
Thank you so much. We generally pair up dry sabjis like these with dal or kadhi and enjoy it with rice and/or roti.
Jagruti’s Cooking Odyssey
April 17, 2020 at 10:14 am
My mum used to make this saak without tomato when there are no tomato in the kitchen, totally forgot about it. I must make soon as many memories are flooding right now! Such a simple yet flavourful sabji to devour with raita or daal.
mayurisjikoni
April 17, 2020 at 6:26 pm
Thanks Jagruti, you know Patels generally don’t use too many tomatoes in their simple sabjis, like the other Gujarati communities. Try this one, easy and tasty.
Sapana
April 17, 2020 at 5:54 pm
This is one of the favorite and easiest stir fry, However I have never added mustard seeds in my aloo gobhi stir fry.Lovely to see another variation of this humble dish.
mayurisjikoni
April 17, 2020 at 6:24 pm
Thanks Sapana. For most of the sabji or shaak we make, mustard seeds and cumin are mostly there.
jayashreetrao
April 18, 2020 at 9:20 am
I often make this sabzi but never added the sesame, must try it sometime. By the way, we never get those colourful gobhis here.
mayurisjikoni
April 18, 2020 at 7:52 pm
Thanks Jayashree, even I don’t get the colorful gobi in Kenya. Saw them first time in Montreal.
Sasmita Sahoo Samanta
April 20, 2020 at 6:03 am
Gobhi aloo is my favorite in winter. I can have this with anything, rice dal or with hot phulka / paratha even. Love this super simple still flavorful dry sabji
mayurisjikoni
April 20, 2020 at 4:49 pm
Thank you so much Sasmita.
Ruchisvegkitchen
April 24, 2020 at 5:00 am
Gobi Aloo is definitely loved by all in each household. Simple yet full of flavours. Need some hot phalkas and it’s sorted. Looks superb
mayurisjikoni
April 24, 2020 at 4:31 pm
Thank you so much Ruchi, we love it with phulkas.
Shobha Keshwani
June 13, 2021 at 2:03 am
I love such simple homely recipes. Non spicy food is always enjoyable day to day. I will make this Gujarati style sabzi . I like the taste of sesame seeds and usually in our Sindhi curries we never add them.
mayurisjikoni
June 13, 2021 at 7:25 pm
Thanks Shobha, usually we don’t add sesame seeds to many of our sabji but I do.
Neha
June 13, 2021 at 3:21 pm
This is a healthy recipe. Such recipes are evergreen ones. Simple and flavorful. Gobi happens to be our favourite too.
mayurisjikoni
June 13, 2021 at 7:24 pm
Thank you so much Neha.
Chef Mireille
June 13, 2021 at 5:51 pm
Love that you gave all the historical context. I love the colorful cauliflowers. I often buy them from the farmers markets. But over here we call the green ones Romanesco. This recipe was so good and I even made it with the colorful cauliflower 🙂
mayurisjikoni
June 13, 2021 at 7:22 pm
Thank you so much Mireille. I will try it with the colorful cauliflower when I get one.
Archana
June 15, 2021 at 3:12 pm
I needed another way to make my phool gobhi. This phool kobi ane bateta nu shaak is just what we will love and enjoy with our rotis. Thanks, Mayuri.
mayurisjikoni
June 15, 2021 at 5:59 pm
You’re welcome Archana and gets cooked in a jiffy.
Kalyani
June 16, 2021 at 8:33 am
this simple flavour packed Gobi Shaak with potatoes is just the stuff I need with hot phulkas. so comforting and delish
mayurisjikoni
June 16, 2021 at 9:34 pm
Thank you so much Kalyani, it is the easiest shaak to make.