1,000 Indian Recipes (224 page)

Authors: Neelam Batra

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds and red chile peppers; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the potatoes, turmeric, and salt and stir until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

3.
Add the ginger-poppy seed paste and continue to stir over medium-low heat until traces of oil are visible on the sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the yogurt, a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling.

4.
Add the water, cover the pan, and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are soft and the sauce is thick, about 10 minutes. Add the cream or coconut milk, if using, and simmer another 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, lightly stir in the cardamom seeds, and serve.

Yogurt and Potato Curry

Dahi-kae-Aalu

Makes 4 to 6 servings

A specialty of Uttar-Pradesh, a state just adjacent to New Delhi in the north, this home-style potato dish is often part of a brunch menu with
poories
(puffed deep-fried breads) and hot chai tea. This dish is also great with a side of okra or cauliflower and
paranthas
(griddle-fried breads) and a glass of
Sweet Mango-Yogurt Cooler
.

8 to 10 small thin-skinned white or red potatoes (about 1
¹⁄
₄pounds), cut into 4 to 6 wedges each

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 large tomato, coarsely chopped

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground turmeric

¹⁄
₄teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground asafoetida

¹⁄
₂teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹⁄
₄cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, peel them if you wish to, then break up coarsely with your fingers into 1-inch pieces. Reserve. In a blender, blend together the yogurt and tomato until smooth.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the ginger, green chile peppers, and cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the turmeric, red pepper flakes, asafoetida, and salt, then add the blended yogurt-tomato mixture and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer about 5 minutes.

3.
Add the potatoes and simmer 7 to 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the cilantro, and serve.

Diced Potato Curry with Pickling Spices

Achaari Aalu

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is one of the most popular Punjabi potato dishes. It is another breakfast or brunch specialty, customarily served with freshly made
poories
(puffed deep-fried breads). I use the Bengali 5-Spices mixture of seeds to simplify the recipe. The Punjabis generally add the same spices, one by one. This is a great recipe for the pressure cooker, because it shaves off at least 20 minutes of stirring and watching.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon
Bengali 5-Spices (Panch-Phoran)
or store-bought

1
¹⁄
₂tablespoons ground coriander

¹⁄
₂teaspoon ground cumin

¹⁄
₂teaspoon ground paprika

¹⁄
₂teaspoon salt, or to taste

3 cups finely chopped tomatoes

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

³⁄
₄cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

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

4 cups water

¹⁄
₄teaspoon garam masala

1.
Heat the oil in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat and add the panch-phoran; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the coriander, cumin, paprika, and salt and then mix in the tomatoes, green chile peppers, and half of the cilantro. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the juices evaporate, 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the potatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

2.
Add the water and secure the lid. Cook over high heat until the pressure regulator indicates high pressure, then cook about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid and check to see if the potatoes are soft and the sauce thick, mashing a few as you stir; if not, cover and boil until soft, about 10 minutes.

3.
Mix in the remaining cilantro and cook another 5 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Variation:
To add more substance and make the dish go further, mix in about 1 cup paneer cheese, diced into
¹⁄
₂-inch cubes, and/or 1 cup thawed frozen peas with the cilantro in Step 3, and simmer about 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.

Quick Potatoes and Peas Curry with Tomato Sauce

Jaldi Banae Muttar-Aalu

Makes 4 to 6 servings

I make this easy main dish with canned tomato sauce—not an authentic Indian ingredient, but one that I occasionally use, especially when I run out of fresh tomatoes or I'm in a hurry. For extra protein, add about 1 cup cubed, store-bought
paneer
cheese or tofu. Serve it with a side of
Spicy Broiled Whole Okra
and a
basmati
rice pilaf.