An Invitation to Indian Cooking - Madhur Jaffrey [76]
8 medium-sized potatoes
Oil for deep frying
1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons oil (or reuse 6 tablespoons strained deep-frying fat)
Asafetida (optional), ⅛-inch-square piece or 1 large pinch ground
7 fenugreek seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon black onion seeds (kalonji), if available
¼ teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 bay leaf
3 dried hot red peppers (optional, or use less)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 medium-sized fresh or canned tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 pinch sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
Boil potatoes, preferably 2 hours ahead, and leave to cool. Just before you begin cooking, peel the potatoes and halve them; quarter them if they are large.
Heat over medium flame 1 to 2 inches of oil in 10–12-inch skillet, wok, or karhai, and fry the potatoes in two or three batches until golden brown on all sides. (If you prefer, you can fry the potatoes in much shallower fat. Just make sure you get them lightly browned on all sides.) Drain and set aside.
Put the chopped onion and garlic into blender with 3 tablespoons water and blend to a paste.
Heat 6 tablespoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed 10–12-inch pot. Keep heat on medium. When very hot, add asafetida, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, onion seeds, mustard seeds, bay leaf, and red pepper in this order and in quick succession. Fry 10 to 20 seconds, until bay leaf and chili begin to turn dark. Add paste from blender and turmeric, and fry, stirring, for 5 minutes; then add chopped tomatoes and sugar and cook another 5 minutes. Stir in gently 2 cups water, salt, and fried potatoes, and bring to boil. Cover, lower flame, and simmer 10 minutes. Raise cover, gently lift each potato and turn it over, cover, and simmer another 10 minutes.
To serve: Place each potato gently in a shallow serving dish. Pour the sauce over them and serve with pooris or parathas. For a simple meal try Kheema with Fried Onions, chapatis, and this potato dish. It would also go well with a lamb roast and Eggplant Bharta, or you could serve it with Shrimp Pullao and plain yogurt.
Maya’s potatoes with yogurt
SERVES 6–8
This is a mild variation on the preceding recipe and is quite delicious.
4 ounces (½ container) plain yogurt
½ teaspoon salt
Prepare preceding recipe. While it cooks, empty yogurt into a small bowl, add ½ cup cold water and salt, and stir to a smooth paste. Strain it and set aside. When potatoes are done, take them off heat and leave 10 minutes to cool a bit.
Five minutes before serving, pour the yogurt over the potatoes, making sure to distribute it evenly. Stir and mix it in very gently. (The potatoes tend to break a little as you do this, but don’t worry!) Now heat the dish. Don’t let it boil, or the yogurt will curdle. When heated through, turn flame off.
To serve: Empty potatoes gently into serving bowl and pour sauce over them. Serve with pooris or parathas, a “dry” meat like Khare Masale Ka Gosht, or grilled chicken pieces. You could also have it with Pullao and a cauliflower dish.
Potatoes in thick sauce
SERVES 6
My mother’s family in Delhi still lives a stone’s throw from Parathe-wali-gulley, the “gulley” or lane where parathas (special Indian breads) are cooked. This narrow lane is flanked on right and left by stalls which have been famous for their parathas for more than a century. Each paratha costs less than 7 cents. And with it you can have as many vegetables and pickles as you like—free! This potato recipe is one of the dishes served there.
5 medium-sized boiling potatoes (not the crumbly kind)
1 piece of fresh ginger, 2 inches long, 1 inch thick, and 1 inch wide, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
6 tablespoons tomato sauce
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon whole fennel seed
10 fenugreek seeds, whole
½ teaspoon black onion seeds (kalonji), if available
½ teaspoon black mustard seeds