Add some Spice and Flavour to the Spuds!

 

Spud, potato or Aloo, whatever you call it, it is the widely used staple food of the world.

We, Brits, in the UK consume potatoes on daily basis as chippies, baked, or even as crisps.

Potato is a mealtime favourite as wedges or mashed providing daily carbohydrates intake.

Well known and much loved Samosas contain a fair bit of potatoes too.

samosas

It’s interesting to cook potatoes the unusual way: adding a bit of spice and love. The resultant recipe – will surely surprise you!

The popular and all time favourites of potato (Aloo, as called in India) recipes are here for you to cook and enjoy!

1. Aloo Mutter

 

aloomutter

Ingredients

1 cup green peas

2 medium size potatoes

2 medium size tomatoes

1 Pod Garlic (about 15-20 Pieces)

1/2 cup Green Coriander leaves

2 Green chilies

1 small onion

Salt to taste

Pinch of Turmeric

Method

Grind Garlic, Coriander, tomatoes, green Chillies, onion, salt, turmeric.

Heat oil in cooker. Add ground Masala and roast till oil separates

Add potatoes pieces, and green peas and mix properly

Add water and pressure cook. Serve with chapatis.

 

2. Aloo Dum

 

dumaloo1

Ingredients

10 small potatoes

3 medium sized onions

2-3 tbsp shredded coconut

A small piece of ginger

4-5 green chillies

2-3 cardamom pods

1/2 cup yoghurt

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tbsp poppy seeds

2 1/2 tsp dhania(coriander) powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying the potatoes

2 tbsp cooking oil/ghee(clarified butter)

Method

Boil the potatoes. Peel them and prick the potatoes with a fork.

Fry the potatoes in hot oil till they turn slightly brown.

Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a shallow pan and fry the onions to light brown.

Grind the coconut, poppy seeds, cardamon, ginger and green chillies to a paste.

Add the paste to the onions. Fry till the oil separates.

Add chilli powder,cumin powder and dhania powder and

stir for 5 mins.

Add the yoghurt , salt and the fried potatoes.

Add enough water to cover the potatoes and simmer till

the gravy is thick for about 10 minutes.

Now add the garam masala powder and mix well.

Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.

Eat with chapati/naan.

3. Aloo Gobhi Methi

 

aloogobi1

Ingredients

4 (500 g) large potatoes with skin

200 g fenugreek (Methi)

Salt to taste

5 tbsp (75 ml) oil

2 g mustard seeds

24 curry leaves

20 g ginger paste, strained

10 g garlic paste, strained

800 g cauliflower, cut into medium sized flowerettes

1 tsp (9 g) yellow chilli powder

1 tsp (9 g) amchur powder

1/2 tsp (2 g) cumin powder

1/2 tsp (1.5 g) fresh black pepper powder, coarsely ground

A generous pinch of kasuri methi

For the garnishing: 30 g fresh pomegranate seeds (optional)

METHOD:

QUARTER the potatoes and then halve each quarter lengthwise. Blanch in salted

boiling water until al dente (almost cooked, but not soft and squishy). Drain and keep

aside. Sprinkle salt over the fenugreek and rub between the palms to reduce some of

the bitterness. Wash in running water, drain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai or wok and season with mustard seeds. When they crackle, add

curry leaves. Stir for some time. Add the ginger paste and garlic paste. Stir-fry until the

moisture evaporates. Then add fenugreek and stir for a few seconds. Add cauliflower,

yellow chilli powder and salt. Stir well. Lower the heat. Cover and cook (for about six

minutes) until al dente. Uncover and increase to medium heat. Add potatoes and stir-fry

for five minutes. Sprinkle amchur powder, cumin powder, pepper powder and kasuri

methi. Stir well. Check the seasoning and remove from heat.

To serve:Remove to a serving dish, garnish with pomegranate and serve with tandoori

paratha, bidari paratha or puri.

 

4. Aloo Palak

 

aloopalak

Ingredients

3 cups chopped spinach

2 large onions chopped fine

2 large potatoes boiled and peeled

1 tomato grated

2 green chillies

1″ piece ginger

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. wheat or other flour

1 tsp. red chilli powder

1 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder

1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 pinches asafoetida

1/2 tsp. garam masala

1/2 tbsp. butter

4 tbsp. ghee

salt to taste

METHOD:

Put the washed spinach in a pan, add very little water (just a sprinkle) and a pinch of salt.

Cover and boil over a high flame for 2 minutes. Cool quickly, or hold under running water in a colander.

Put in a mixie, add green chilli and run for a minute. Keep slightly coarse, do not make very smooth.

Keep aside.

Cut the potatoes into big pieces. Heat ghee and fry potatoes till light brown.

Drain the potatoes, keep aside.

In the same hot ghee add the cumin seeds.

Add the ginger, onions and fry till very tender.

Add the tomato and further fry for two minutes.

Add all the dry masalas and fry till ghee separates.

Add spinach and potatoes.

When it resumes a boil sprinkle the flour and stir well. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice

Just before serving heat butter in a tiny saucepan and add the asafoetida.

Pour over the vegetable and mix gently.

Serve hot with naan or parathas or even rice.

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