1,000 Indian Recipes (150 page)

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₃
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1.
Boil the potatoes in water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes, then peel and coarsely mash them with a fork, leaving a few large (about
³
⁄
₄
-inch) pieces.

2.
Heat the oil and ghee in a large nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat, add the peanuts, ginger, and green chile peppers, and cook, stirring, until golden, 1 minute.

3.
Add the potatoes and salt and cook, stirring occasionally until golden, about 5 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and lemon juice, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook without stirring until the potatoes develop a delicate golden crust on the bottoms, about 10 minutes.

4.
Turn once and cook another 5 to 7 minutes or until crusty once more. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the black pepper on top, and serve.

Mashed Potatoes with Peas and Sesame Seed Powder

Muttar aur Til kae Masslae Aalu

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Sesame seed powder, made with asafoetida and fenugreek seeds, adds more fragrance to a dish than you can ever imagine. If you love potatoes every which way, you'll love this exotically spiced but simple dish.

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

¹
⁄
₄
cup
South Indian Sesame Seed Powder

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

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

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

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

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1.
Boil the potatoes in water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, then peel and coarsely mash them with a fork. Meanwhile, prepare the sesame seed powder.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat, add the ginger, green chile peppers, and turmeric, and stir about 30 seconds. Quickly add the potatoes, peas, sesame seed powder, and salt, and cook, turning as needed, over high heat for the first 2 to 4 minutes and then over medium-low heat until the potatoes are well-coated with the spices and slightly golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and lemon juice, transfer to a serving dish, and serve.

Ginger Mashed Potatoes with Yogurt

Dahi-Adrak ke Masslae Aalu

Makes 4 to 6 servings

If you're bored of the same plain mashed potatoes and love the refreshing flavors of ginger and yogurt, this spicy Indian version is for you.

5 medium russet (or any) potatoes (about 1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds)

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

¹
⁄
₄
cup minced scallions, white parts only

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

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

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

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

1 (1-inch) stick cinnamon, broken into small pieces

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground paprika

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

1.
Boil the potatoes in water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Then, while still warm, peel and coarsely mashed or grate them. With a fork, lightly mix in the yogurt, scallions, cilantro, mint, green chile peppers, and salt. Transfer to a serving dish.

2.
Heat the oil in a small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cardamom pods, cinnamon, cumin, and black pepper. Stir 1 minute, add the ginger, and stir until golden, about 1 minute.

3.
Remove from the heat, stir in the paprika, and immediately pour the cooked spices over the mashed potatoes and swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish. Scatter the chives on top and serve.

Spicy Potato Balls

Masaladar Aalu kae Koftae

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This recipe is close to my friend Neelam Malhotra's heart. She first ate these croquettes in Ooty, a resort near Bangalore in the south, then she made them at home, and passed the recipe on to me. Make your own potato balls as suggested in this recipe, or in a pinch, simply use thawed frozen potato croquettes, available in most supermarkets.

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

1 tablespoon
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

3 tablespoons peanut oil

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

1 cup canned tomato sauce

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

5 to 6 scallions, finely chopped

1.
Boil the potatoes in water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Then, drain the potatoes, let cool, then peel and mash or grate them. In a large bowl, mix together the potatoes and fresh ginger and, with clean hands, shape into 20 to 25 small balls or finger shapes. Transfer to a plate.

2.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the potato balls, gently shaking the skillet until they are golden all around, about 5 minutes. Turn each one carefully with a spatula if necessary; do not stir them, or they will break. Transfer to a bowl.

3.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet, add the ginger-garlic paste and green chile peppers, and stir 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce, cook 1 minute, then add the vinegar, sugar, and salt.

4.
Mix in the potato balls and cook, shaking the skillet carefully until they are well-coated with the sauce. Cook, shaking the skillet until most of the sauce evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions and cook until they are limp, about 3 minutes. Serve.

Tangy Sweet Potatoes

Khatti Shakkar-Kandi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Soured lightly with tamarind and
chaat masala
, these sweet potatoes were and still are usually served by street corner vendors, sometimes by themselves and other times mixed with potatoes and fruits to make spicy
chaats
(dishes with savory, tangy, and spicy flavors).

1
¹
⁄
₂
to 2 tablespoons
Tamarind Paste