1,000 Indian Recipes (149 page)

Authors: Neelam Batra

¹⁄
₂teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1.
Boil the potatoes in water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, then peel and cut them into
³⁄
₄-inch pieces.

2.
Place the kalonji seeds in a small skillet and dry-roast them, stirring and shaking the pan over medium heat until they are fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and reserve for garnish. Similarly, dry-roast the red and green chile peppers and the poppy and fenugreek seeds until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool and grind them in a spice or coffee grinder until fine.

3.
Heat both the oils in a large nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat and cook the potatoes until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the ground spices, sugar, and salt, and cook, stirring and turning carefully, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the roasted kalonji seeds on top, and serve.

Pomegranate Potatoes

Aalu Anardana

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Roasted dried pomegranate seeds add a distinctive sourness and a dark brown color to dishes. When combined with dry-roasted cumin seeds, the dish takes on incredible visual appeal and piquant flavor.

12 to 15 baby white or red potatoes (about 1
¹⁄
₄pounds)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons ground dried pomegranate seeds

3 tablespoons ground coriander seeds

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹⁄
₂cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 to 2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

2 teaspoons cumin seeds,
dry-roasted
and coarsely ground

¹⁄
₄cup fresh pomegranate seeds or tomato wedges

1.
Boil the potatoes in water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, then peel and cut in half lengthwise.

2.
Heat the oil in a cast-iron or nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the pomegranate and coriander seeds and stir until darkened, about 1 minute. Mix in the potatoes and salt and cook, stirring over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cilantro, green chile peppers, and cumin seeds, and cook 3 to 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds or tomato wedges, and serve.

Potatoes with Bell Pepper Confetti

Aalu-Shimla Mirch

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Colorful and delicious, these potatoes make a great party dish. Although any kind of potatoes will do in this dish, I love it with russet potatoes, which come out soft and crumbly.

4 medium russet potatoes (about 1
¹⁄
₄pounds)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon melted ghee

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

¹⁄
₂teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹⁄
₂teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹⁄
₂teaspoon mango powder

¹⁄
₂cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

3 to 4 small bell peppers of mixed colors, finely chopped

¹⁄
₄teaspoon garam masala

1.
Boil the potatoes in water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, then peel and cut them into
³⁄
₄-inch pieces.

2.
Heat the oil and ghee in a large nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds and black pepper; they should sizzle immediately on contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the remaining spices and salt, then mix in the potatoes. Cook, turning as needed, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

3.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the cilantro and bell peppers, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Russet Potatoes with Fresh Fenugreek Greens

Methi-Aalu

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This highly fragrant dish has a very loyal following among the Punjabi people in northern India. For an authentic Punjabi version, cook this dish in a cast-iron wok called a
kadhai
.

Fresh fenugreek greens can be found in Indian, Middle Eastern, and some farmers' markets. Buy more than you need, wash and spin-dry the leaves and soft stems, then chop and freeze them in freezer bags. Or dry them at home—place them on cloth or paper towels and air-dry them outdoors in the shade until they are crisp and moisture-free. Dried fenugreek leaves, called
kasoorimethi
, a popular Indian herb, are also available in Indian markets.

If needed, substitute spinach or watercress leaves for the fresh fenugreek greens and about 2 tablespoons of dried fenugreek leaves.

3 to 4 bunches fresh fenugreek greens (about 1 pound)

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds

4 medium russet potatoes (about 1
¹⁄
₄pounds), peeled and cut into
¹⁄
₂-inch pieces

¹⁄
₂teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground turmeric

¹⁄
₂cup water

1.
Pick out the leaves and the softest stems of the fenugreek greens, discarding the hard and fibrous parts, and wash them well. Then chop them finely in the food processor or by hand.

2.
Heat the oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick wok or a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the fenugreek greens and the green chile pepper, stirring and scraping the sides of the wok, about 3 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the leaves are completely dry and deep green in color, 10 to 15 minutes.

3.
Add the potatoes, salt, and turmeric, and stir about 2 minutes. Then add the water, cover the pan and cook, over medium-high heat until heated through, and then over medium-low heat until the potatoes are very soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir and scrape the pan as needed, making sure the potatoes don't stick to the bottom. Serve.

Variation:
To make this dish with dried fenugreek leaves instead of fresh, soak 1
¹⁄
₂cups of the dried leaves in water to cover about 2 hours. Drain and save any water (use it in place of the water in the recipe). Then proceed with the recipe from Step 2.

Crispy Fork-Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Peanuts

Bhunae Aalu aur Moong-Phalli

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is my special recipe—perfect to serve during the
Navratrae
fasts (
nav
is nine and
ratrae
is nights), when eating grains is forbidden. Celebrated twice a year—once in the beginning of summer (April-May) and once in winter (September-October)—when the climatic, solar, and other cosmic changes are believed to influence peoples' minds and bodies,
Navratrae
is a time for fasting and worshiping.