Easy Potato curry and Goodbye for a month

Yes, I will not be blogging for about a month, so today’s post is the last you’ll see for a while here at OneLifeToEat. If you’re new to this blog or to Indian cooking, be sure to read the About page as well as some of my posts under Indian Cooking Basics, to understand how to start out with Indian cooking.

Last week I shared the recipe for a dish that I made to use up some extra vegetables in my home that I didn’t want to waste. This week’s recipe is in the same spirit, and is also one that can be prepared in under 30 minutes.

This easy potato curry is a staple in my home mainly because of its versatility. Flavored with simple, earthy ingredients such as cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves, it goes with almost any kind of bread, Indian or otherwise, any rice dish and can even be used to make a delicious, spicy sandwich, if you have a panini maker at home. This was one of the first vegetable preparations that I taught myself to make when I had just got married and needed to prepare something simple and idiot-proof for the first dinner with my husband in our tiny apartment. It seems like it happened a lifetime ago!

I am also reminded of the spicy grilled potato sandwiches that are so popular amongst penny-pinching students in Mumbai, India. Cheap and delicious, a potato curry-stuffed sandwich was all I ate for lunch on a busy day at college. Ahh… memories 🙂

Ingredients (for 2 adults for a meal):

• 2 large potatoes, boiled until cooked but not mushy
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 small green chili, slit lengthwise (this doesn’t lend a lot of heat to the dish. It does however add an interesting aroma to the curry)
• 2 curry leaves
• 1/4 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 large cloves garlic – sliced
• 1/2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp Coriander & Cumin powder (available as a blend in Indian grocery stores)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• fresh chopped cilantro and lemon juice for garnishing

Method:

• Dice the boiled potatoes and keep aside
• In a pot, heat the oil and add the curry leaves (these will splutter so stand back after throwing them in the pot), cumin seeds, mustard seeds and green chili
• When everything crackles, add the onion and sliced garlic, and cook on medium heat until soft. Once well cooked, add the ginger and garlic paste
• Then add the tomatoes, cook until mushy. Also add the tomato ketchup along with the powdered spices and salt. Mix well and allow to turn into a mushy paste
• Finally add the potatoes, envelop them in the spice mixture. Garnish with chopped cilantro and lemon juice and serve hot with Roti’s or Rice and daal.

I will sorely miss the blogging as well as interaction with all you wonderful readers and fellow bloggers while I am away. Hope to be in touch with some of you during my travels.

Adios and Happy Holidays!