AIP aloo gobi - Indian cauliflower and taro braise using root and bark spices in place of seed spices

Aloo gobi usually opens with a fistful of seed spices, cumin and coriander dropped into hot oil before anything else goes in the pot. On the elimination phase those seeds sit in the cupboard, so this version reaches for the jar of cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric instead. That single swap, root and bark spices in place of seed spices, takes a little relearning on a night when your hand already knows the old recipe by feel. Months into the work of moving toward Remission, a dish that still tastes like the one you remember is worth that small relearning.

Turmeric gives the pot its color and its warmth, and the curcumin in it is one of the compounds research ties to inflammation settling rather than flaring. Cauliflower and carrots round the pot out nutritionally with vitamin C and beta-carotene, and the taro standing in for potato is a source of potassium and a starch the gut tends to handle gently.

This is a pot of real vegetables, cooked slowly until the color turns gold and the kitchen smells like the spice jars have finally earned their keep. Serve it with the cilantro scattered fresh across the top and let the color be part of the meal, not an afterthought.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 small onion, diced (omit if you are sensitive, such as with interstitial cystitis)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 6 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 1/2 pounds taro root, peeled and cubed (must be fully cooked; raw taro is irritating)
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup water

A note on swaps: this dish is already AIP as written. Taro stands in for the potato, the carrots add the soft sweetness and color tomato would have brought, and the cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric replace the seed spices of a standard aloo gobi. Nothing was removed for ARM. Make sure the taro is cooked all the way through.

Method

Warm the coconut oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, cinnamon, ground ginger, and turmeric, and let them bloom in the oil for about 5 minutes, until the kitchen smells warm and the onion softens.

Add the carrots, cauliflower, taro, cilantro, fresh ginger, and salt. Stir so everything is coated in the spiced oil.

Pour in the water, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the carrots and taro are tender and the cauliflower is soft. Stir once or twice and add a splash more water if it looks dry. Taste and adjust the salt before serving.

Instant Pot variation

Set the pot to Saute and bloom the onion, garlic, and ground spices in the coconut oil for about 5 minutes. Press Cancel. Add the carrots, cauliflower, taro, cilantro, fresh ginger, salt, and the 1/2 cup water, scraping the bottom so nothing sticks. Lock the lid and pressure cook on high for 4 to 5 minutes, then quick-release. The taro and carrots should be tender; if not, simmer on Saute a few minutes more. This pressure time is an ARM-derived conversion and is flagged for kitchen testing.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*