1,000 Indian Recipes (223 page)

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⁄
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teaspoon ground asafoetida

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water to cover until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, let cool, then prick each potato all over with a fork. (So the spices penetrate the insides.) Meanwhile, in a blender, blend together the yogurt and water until smooth.

2.
Heat the oil in a large wok over medium-high heat until it reaches 325°F to 350°F on a frying thermometer, or until a small piece of potato dropped into the hot oil rises to the top in 15 to 20 seconds. Add the potatoes to the hot oil, adding as many as the wok can hold at one time without crowding, and fry, turning them carefully with a slotted spatula, until they are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

3.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok and discard or reserve for another use. Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cinnamon, and cloves; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the potatoes, fennel seeds, coriander, ginger, cayenne pepper, asafoetida, and salt, and stir carefully until the spices cling to the potatoes, about 3 minutes.

4.
Add the yogurt-water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer until most of the water has been absorbed, leaving behind a medium-thick sauce, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Minty Pot-Roasted Potato Curry

Pudina Dum-Aalu

Makes 4 to 6 servings

With fresh mint leaves as the predominant flavor, this lighter, north Indian version of
dum-aalu
(pot-roasted potatoes) calls for pan-cooking the potatoes instead of the traditional deep-frying, as is done in
Pot-Roasted Fried Whole Potatoes in Yogurt Curry
.

10 to 12 small new potatoes (about 1
¹
⁄
₄
pounds)

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

5 to 6 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 large clove fresh garlic, peeled

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cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves

1 tablespoon shredded unsweetened dried coconut

1 tablespoon ground coriander

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⁄
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teaspoon ground paprika

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⁄
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teaspoon ground turmeric

3 to 4 tablespoons peanut oil

3 to 5 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, split lengthwise in half

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 to 3 cups water

1 teaspoon ground dried mint leaves

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, then peel them.

2.
In a food processor or a blender, process together the onion, ginger, garlic, fresh mint leaves, and coconut until smooth. Add the coriander, paprika and turmeric and process again to make a smooth paste.

3.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the green chile peppers and cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the potatoes and cook, stirring, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

4.
Add the remaining oil to the pan, then add the onion-mint paste and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Mix in the potatoes, salt, and water, cover the pan, and simmer until the sauce is thick and the potatoes are very soft and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, top with dried mint leaves and garam masala, and serve.

Haridwar Potato Curry

Haridwar kae Aalu

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Haridwar is one of India's many holy cities on the banks of the Ganges River. It also is a source of a delicious local cusine. Here is one such dish shared by my friend Neelam Malhotra. It is served at roadside eateries with deep-fried
poori
breads and spicy pumpkin purées.

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

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 to 5 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, with stems

1 tablespoon coarsely ground coriander seeds

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

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⁄
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teaspoon coarsely ground fenugreek seeds

¹
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teaspoon ground turmeric

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⁄
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teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

¹
⁄
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teaspoon ground asafoetida

2 large red tomatoes, coarsely chopped

¹
⁄
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cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2
¹
⁄
₂
to 3 cups water

2 small green (or unripe red) tomatoes, cut into wedges

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cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serranos, split in half lengthwise

1 teaspoon ground dried pomegranate seeds

1 teaspoon dried mint leaves

1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves

1.
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, then peel and coarsely break them with a fork.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the red chile peppers, coriander, cumin, and fenugreek seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the turmeric, cayenne pepper, and asafoetida, then mix in the chopped red tomatoes and cook until all the juices evaporate, about 10 minutes.

3.
Add the potatoes and salt and cook over medium heat, turning gently, about 5 minutes. Add the yogurt, a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling, and cook 2 to 3 minutes until completely incorporated. Then add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until the sauce is reduced by N, 8 to 10 minutes.

4.
Add the green tomato wedges and cilantro and cook another 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, and add the pomegranate seeds, mint, and fenugreek leaves. Swirl lightly to mix, with some of them visible as a garnish. Serve.

Curried Almond and Poppy Seed Potatoes

Badaam aur Khus-Khus kae Aalu

Makes 4 to 6 servings

With the richness of poppy seeds, cashews, and heavy cream, these potatoes take on an incredible fragrance and a silky, smooth appearance that makes for a great party dish.

4 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

2 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled

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cup coarsely chopped raw cashews

1
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⁄
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teaspoons white poppy seeds

1 teaspoon garam masala

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

3 to 5 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, with stems

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon turmeric

8 to 10 small potatoes (about 1
¹
⁄
₄
pounds), cut into 4 to 6 wedges each

¹
⁄
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teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 cup water

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⁄
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cup heavy cream or coconut milk (optional)

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⁄
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teaspoon coarsely ground green cardamom seeds

1.
In a small food processor, process together the ginger, garlic, cashews, and poppy seeds, adding about 2 tablespoons water to make a paste. Mix in the garam masala and transfer to a bowl.