Potatoes simmered in a tomato, yoghurt and Indian spice sauce.
Tangy, fulfilling and delicious! It takes me back to my roots. Back to my mom and my nani’s kitchens. Back to Delhi and to North India where this dish resides in the hearts of many. Simple spices, which we use in our everyday cooking, found in the pantries of more or less every Indian household. Also easily available at Indian stores anywhere and everywhere nowadays, whichever part of the globe you belong.
This dish has a best buddy, they always go hand in hand, none other than the deep fried goodness of pooris. Plain pooris or ‘bedvi’ pooris, which are stuffed with a traditional lentil-spice stuffing and deep fried. Yummm!
Nonetheless, these potatoes are finger licking good, quite like a simple vegetarian stew. Humble looking but damn delicious 😋
4-5 medium size potatoes, boiled and crushed lightly into small chunks
2 tomatoes, blanched and puréed. Heat water a pan, bring to a boil, add the tomatoes for a minute. Remove the tomatoes. When cool, remove skins and purée.
Finely chopped ginger – 1 tsp.
Finely chopped green chillies – 1 tsp.
Yoghurt – 1/2 cup
Paprika or Kashmiri red chilli powder – 3/4 tsp.
Coriander powder – 1 1/2 tbsp.
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp.
Amchur or dried mango powder – 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds – 3/4 tsp.
Fenugreek or methi seeds – 1/2 tsp.
Asafoetida or hing – a small pinch
Mustard oil – 1 tbsp.
Ghee – 1 tsp.
Chopped fresh cilantro or coriander, for garnish
water
salt to taste
Servings – 4
Ingredients :
Heat a pan on high heat. Add mustard oil. Let it smoke so as to releases its bitter flavour. This is an important step, well, what I have learnt from my mom and grandmom! Remove from heat and let cool a couple of minute. Heat again on medium high heat. Add ghee. Add the asafoetida, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Add the chopped ginger and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the boiled potatoes. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes.
In a little bowl, add the yoghurt with all the remaining spices. Mix well. Turn the heat to low, and add the yoghurt spice mixture. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 minutes. The gravy would thicken due to the starch in the potatoes. Add sufficient water to cover the potatoes mixture. Add salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander or cilantro. Serve hot.
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