Baked Garlic Potato Wedges Recipe

I have made this recipe many many times, each time with some variation or the other, and it has always come out super well. Its a pity these baked potato wedges took this long to show up here but the main reason is, this is a recipe I always use to show off how awesome I am (works each time like a charm) so its almost always made when I have someone visiting.

Changed watermark to centre of picture because 2 hours after posting this recipe, the picture got copied to two different sites with no credit back to me. 

Finally, I decided enough is enough and managed two quick photos on the side table before I served them. I should say that my skills of cutting potato into wedges have greatly improved since the first time, purely out of practice. I had plans to make a video of how to get perfect potato wedges but that will have to wait for another time.

Meanwhile, make bake these! Its garlicky potato wedges that are tastier than the fried ones, uses minimum oil, is crunchy on the outside and super soft on the inside, its pure deliciousness!

There's a reason why they are the most popular recipe on Shaheen's blog.

Baked Garlic Potato Wedges
Serves 2
Adapted from Purple Foodie and Lottie + Doof

Ingredients:
2 large russet potatoes (or whatever type of potato you have locally)
8 small garlic cloves, freshly crushed
6 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (or regular salt)
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp paprika or Kashmiri red chilli powder
½ tsp garlic powder (optional)

How I Made It:

0. Warm the olive oil (either in a microwave or in a small pan over the stove) and add the crushed garlic pieces. Let the olive warm up and the yummy juices of the garlic seep into it. Dont heat the oil too much, just nicely warm it. Set this oil aside to infuse well until you need it. Pre-heat oven to 200C /  390F. 

1. Bring a saucepan with 4 cups water to a boil. Scrub the potatoes clean (don't peel) and insert into the boiling water. Simmer and let the potatoes par-boil. It usually takes me 10-12 mins. When a knife is inserted it should go in without effort but make sure the potatoes don't become cooked soft or mushy. Remove from water and let it cool on a plate.

2. Cut the cooled potatoes into wedges. I cut each lengthwise into half. Then each piece gets cut into further halves and each of that half into 3 more wedges. Sorry for making you do math when all you want is some baked garlic wedges but that makes 12 wedges in all, per potato.

3. Transfer the potato wedges into a large bowl. Pour in the infused olive oil (remove the crushed garlic pieces), and add all other ingredients into the bowl. Mix gently until well combines. Its important to make sure that the corn flour coats all the pieces well. I usually do this step by hand, rubbing all the ingredients gently into the potato pieces. Crack some pepper on top again if you'd like once you are done mixing.

4. Lay the pieces on a baking tray (you can either use a baking sheet like Silpat, parchment paper, or aluminum foil to line the baking tray) without overlapping. If your baking tray is small, bake in two batches but make sure that you line the potato wedges in a single layer.

5. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30-40 mins until the wedges are golden brown and crisp on the outside. It may be a good idea to turn the baking tray around once during baking so that all the pieces get uniform heat, more or less. My oven has uneven heat in some corners and I am positive yours does too.

6. Once baked, serve hot with ketchup, mayonnaise, chilly sauce or Sriracha.

Note:

- I have tried many variations in this recipe like adding minced garlic directly into the potato wedges mixture, using regular oil instead of olive oil, cutting potatoes into wedges first and then par-boiling, etc. The quantities and ingredients above gave me the best result so I stick to that now. I have a small bottle of powdered garlic that I have bought specifically to make these baked garlic potato wedges. It really adds to the flavour. 

Ethiopian Potatoes and Peas with Split Pea Puree

This is really just an Ethiopian vegetable stew repackaged a different way that photographs well and would make for a nice dish at a dinner party. You can eat this with a fork or spoon, or scoop it up with traditional injera. If you are using injera, make sure the potatoes are cut small enough to be picked up with your fingers.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup yellow split peas, rinsed
- 3 cups water
- 1.5 lbs small red potatoes
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 sweet onions, halved and sliced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp tumeric
- berbere to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tomato, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- water as needed
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- pinch of allspice and cloves
- 2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
- parsley, to garnish

METHOD
1. Boil the 3 cups of water and get the split peas cooking. Simmer, covered, until very soft and breaking apart.
2. While split peas are cooking, parboil the potatoes, whole, for about 10 mins until tender but still firm. Rise with cold water and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Saute onions for 15 mins, until golden brown. Add pepper, garlic, ginger and spices and cook for 5-8 mins more, until onions are a deep brown. Add tomatoes and bring to bubbling.
4. Drain split peas in a fine sieve and add to the onion mixture. Add tomato paste and mix well. Blend until smooth in a blender or food processor, adding water as needed and adjust seasonings as taste. The mixture should be pourable but not runny. Set aside.
5. Heat margarine in a frying pan over medium heat. Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces and fry until golden. Add add spices and fry for 2 mins. Add peas, paste, and water and mix well. Let bubble until peas are cooked and mixture has thickened.
6. To serve: pour some lentil mixture into a shallow bowl. Top with some potato mixture and garnish with chopped parsley.

Banarasi Dum Aloo Recipe

If I see a bag of baby potatoes when I head to the supermarket near my place, I pick it up. Always. Good things always come out of having a bag of baby potatoes in your kitchen. You will see. 

Earlier last week, I was telling myself how inefficient and wasteful I am being. I almost always turn online if I want a recipe but love to buy cookbooks and stack them up in the kitchen shelf. In my new kitchen, all the books are out and neatly arranged so I really have no excuse for not using them more. 

So armed with about 15 baby potatoes, I turned to one of those small Tarla Dalal booklets, simply and efficiently called "Potatoes". There were some really great looking recipes in there but I had to zero in on Banarasi Dum Aloo because that's what I had all the ingredients for.

Since this is a cuisine I am not familiar with at all, I decided to not meddle with the original recipe and follow it to the T. This meant frying up the entire batch of baby potatoes but all I did was gulp once before going head and doing it. 

Banarasi Dum Aloo

Serves 2-3 as a side

Total cooking time: 45 mins

Source: Tarla Dalal's Potatoes

Ingredients:

12 to 15 baby potatoes
oil for deep-frying

1/2 tsp powdered cardamom (about 8 pods)

1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)

3 tbsp cream (or 1/4 cup plain curd)

A small bunch chopped coriander for garnish

2 tsp butter

Salt to taste

For the gravy:
2 cups roughly chopped tomatoes (2 large ripe tomatoes)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
3-4 dry red chillies (use dry Kashmiri red chillies for added colour)
2 tbsp broken cashew nuts
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
2 1/2 cups water

How I Made It:

1. Wash and dry the baby potatoes. Pierce each potato all around with a fork and deep fry in hot oil, with the skin on, till the potatoes are cooked and golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside.

2. Combine all the ingredients together under the "gravy list". I know this sounds weird but trust me on this. Dunk all the ingredients together along with the water and cook on a low flame for around 15 mins or until the tomatoes have turned mushy and soft. Cool and blend to a smooth paste. If you have one of those soup blenders like me, just go ahead and whip it up hot. Saves a lot of time.

3. Heat the butter in a pan and add the powdered cardamom and gravy paste and allow it to come to a boil. Simmer till the oil separates form the gravy. This will take about 12-15 mins. Keep the fire on simmer throughout and be prepared for a slight mess if you don't use a deep pan. The tomato gravy will bubble up all over your stovetop.

4. When the gravy is ready, add the potatoes, kasuri methi, and salt and simmer for another 3-4 mins. Finally, add the cream and coriander and serve hot with jeera pulao or rotis.

Notes:

- I like to use powdered cardamom because its not pleasant to bite into the pods when you are eating. 

- The original recipe also called for 1 tbsp honey but I omitted this because we were not in a mood for a sweet-ish dish. I think this is meant to be hot and sweet so add that in if you want to get more of an authentic Banarasi Dum Aloo. 

- You can boil and add the potatoes to the gravy if you want a healthier version. Adding cubed, fried regular potatoes will also taste brilliant, I am sure. 

- Banarasi Dum Aloo does not use dahi or curd as normal dum aloo does so use cream if you have it. Substitute with curd as a last option. 

- The gravy gets thick on sitting for a while so if you are reheating leftovers, add a little bit of curd of water before heating it up. Don't add more cashews than what's mentioned, it will make the gravy even thicker.

- As you can clearly see, I was out of coriander leaves :)

Simple Indian Potato / Aloo Roast Recipe

Confession: The Husband doesn't cook often or even at all, but he makes the best basic potato roast ever. I didn't mention this to him the first few times he made this but when I once asked him what he adds to it, he was like "are you asking me for my secret recipe so you can put it in your blog??" Ahem. Maybe.

So here it is. Its simple of course, the man doesn't believe in complicating food, especially when he is cooking! But you will love this. It gets done in 12-15 mins and is such a comfort food that when I was down with fever last month, TH made this and rasam for me after he got back from work! Ah.. yum.

Basic Indian Potato Roast Recipe

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized russet potatoes

1 medium-sized onion

1/4 tsp mustard seeds/kaduku

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder/malli podi/dhania podi

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp or 2 flakes minced garlic 

1 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

How its made:

1. Cut the potatoes into small cubes. Chop the onions into similar-sized pieces as the potato. 

2. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the chopped onions and saute until lightly browned. 

3. Add the coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and garlic and fry for a minute. Add the potatoes, mix well and sprinkle some water. 

4. Cook partially closed until the potatoes are cooked and soft. Add salt. Make sure you mix every 2-3 mins to distribute the heat and avoid the potatoes from burning from the bottom. 

Serve hot with steamed rice and rasam. 

My Notes:

1. TH doesn't like jeera much so he doesn't add it. If you feel the recipe is incomplete without it, then you should add them in. 

2. I've tried squeezing half a lemon over this when its still hot but didn't like the taste much. It still rocks the plain way that TH makes it. 

Aloo Bhindi / Potato Okra Dry Sabzi

Fact: Okra is slimy

Another fact: Potatoes are delicious

Fact 3: When delicious and slimy get together, it creates a pretty great dish. 

When I go to the nearby supermarket, I run out of vegetables to buy. There are about 5 rows of green leafy vegetables which I can't bother with over weeknights, and there are the usual suspects like beans and carrot and broccoli and capsicum. I just have to reach for the okra packet on those nights. 

Aloo Bhindi Sukhi Sabzi Recipe

Adapted from: Sailus Food

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 potato, cut into small cubes
10 okra, cut into 1/2" discs
1 tbsp tamarind water (add a small piece of tamarind to 1 tbsp water. Extract juice, discard pulp)
~ alternatively, use freshly squeezed lemon juice or a generous pinch of amchoor / dry mango powder

1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
A generous pinch of hing / asafoetida / perungaayam
1/2 tsp jeera / cumin seeds
1-2 tsp dhania / malli / coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp garam masala or curry powder (whatever you have in hand)
A pinch of ginger powder (optional)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
A few curry leaves
Salt to taste

How I Made It:

1. Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they pop, add the rest of the ingredients below in the order given.

2. Once the masalas have been fried for about a minute, add the cut vegetables and the tamarind water. Mix well until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

3. Cook covered, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are tender and the okra is cooked, non-slimy, and has learnt a thing or two from the potatoes. 

Serve hot with steamed rice and gravy of choice. 

Aloo Paratha Step by Step Recipe

I have posted Aloo Paratha before. But since then, I'd like to believe that I have perfected my technique to dish out a very decent aloo paratha, especially for a South Indian!



Potatoes have the property to inherently make aloo parathas soft so that makes our job that much easier.



Aloo Paratha Recipe
Makes 8

Ingredients:

For Dough:-
2 cups atta / whole wheat flour
Just over 1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
A few drops of oil

For Aloo Filling:-
2 medium sized potatoes
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp jeera / cumin powder
1/4 tsp ajwain / omam / carom seeds
1/2 tsp chaat masala (or garam masala)
1/2 tsp salt
A handful of coriander leaves, chopped fine

How I Made It:

1. Make the dough first. (I use my Kitchenaid now for making chapati dough and its a breeze, will share details in a later post). Mix the atta and salt well together. Add a few drops of oil and mix with fingertips. Add water little at a time and keep kneading into a soft dough. Knead for 3-4 mins and coat with some more oil (don't overdo the oil bit, very few drops will do). Set aside while making the filling.

2. Boil and grate the potatoes. I used to mash them but that leaves small lumps here and there making it harder to roll out the aloo parathas smoothly. Grating is a better method to ensure a smooth filling. 

3. Mix all ingredients for the filling together, making sure they are well incorporated.

The spices you add to the filling also make a large difference to the taste of your aloo parathas. There are tons of different versions here. Since I visited TH's aunt in Mumbai and watched her Marathi maid make aloo parathas (in awe, I must add!), I use her recipe for the aloo filling.

4. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and roll into smooth balls. Do the same with the filling. I like to make the size of the filling slightly smaller than the dough balls but you can make them into equal sizes if you wish.

5. Flour the surface you are going to use to roll the parathas. Take one dough ball, place it on the floured surface and flatten with fingertips into a small round. I find that doing this with my fingertips makes it easier to get the surface equally thick than rolling with a rolling pin. The Vahrevah Chef agrees.

6. Place a filling ball in the centre of the flattened dough ball.

7. Gather the dough ball around the filling, sealing it gently on top.

8. Make it into a momo-like ball, making sure that the dough covers the filling ball completely.

9. You can pinch off the extra bit of dough on top. I sometimes just flatten it against the top and continue.

10. Again, using your fingertips, gently press the filled dough ball into a small circle, making sure the thickness is equal on all sides.

In case you are wondering, there was no tripod used in any of the pics. I clicked with my left hand. The things food blogging teaches you -  mind-boggling!

11. Then use your rolling pin to flatten it out to as thick or thin as you want. I keep it slightly thicker than chapatis. And before you ask, I still can't make a perfectly round chapati / paratha, so help me God. Oh, you weren't going to ask..

Ok moving on.

12. Transfer rolled paratha to a hot griddle. Make sure you tap out the excess flour used in rolling. I didn't take enough for this paratha so ignore the excessive white patches.

13. Cook until both sides are golden brown. When done, brush with some ghee / butter or oil and transfer to a plate. I use my olive oil spray while making chapatis / parathas. You can spray on the oil at the end and it creates zero mess. Of course if you want to use ghee, then the mess doesn't matter, only the flavour does!

That's it! Serve hot with a pat of butter on top, some curd and pickles. 

Scalloped Potatoes and Butternut Squash with Roasted Chestnuts

I experimented with two dishes tonight for Christmas. The first (a cranberry tofu with a cranberry and orange chutney) was a disaster, but the second was pretty much what I wanted. Not the prettiest looking dish, but the flavour was amazing. The creamy sauce is made even more creamy with the butternut squash, complemented by the sage. The potatoes are soft but not mushy and the chestnuts add some texture and flavour.

INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup margarine

- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- scant 1/4 cup flour

- 3.5 cups plain soy milk
- 1 tbsp rubbed sage

- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 tsp pepper

- 1.5 lbs potatoes, peeled
- 1.5 lbs butternut squash, peeled
- 12 roasted chestnuts, chopped

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2.8 litre (3 quart) Corningware dish

1. Melt margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions and garlic for 10 min, until translucent.

2. Add in flour and mix well. Slowly whisk in soy milk, add sage, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to bubbling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

3. Slice potatoes and squash in a food processor so they are very thin. Put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with a layer of potatoes and a layer of squash (if potatoes or squash are wet after slicing, bad them on a towel before putting them in the dish). Sprinkle some chopped chestnuts over top. Repeat until all potatoes and squash are gone, and top with the last of the sauce (you may have some left over). Press down on the layers occasionally, and refrain from adding too much sauce.

4. Cover dish and bake for 1 hr and 15 mins. Uncover and bake for 30 mins, until top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for at least 20 mins before serving (the layers will set).

Winter Vegetable Mini Pies

When I announced my one month hiatus from ye olde blog, I promised that I would be back with ideas for the upcoming holiday season. So, as promised, here is idea number one. The filling really isn't much of a breakthrough, but the crust definitely is. The pastry recipe comes from Top Chef Just Desserts, appropriately veganized, of course. It is easy (as pie) to roll out, is durable, and bakes up beautifully. The filling is really up to you. I did something very similar to this recipe, but you could easily make it more festive with the addition of some cranberries and roasted chestnuts.

Makes 12
Pastry
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb all purpose flour
- 0.5 oz sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 10.5 oz cold Earth Balance margarine, or vegetable shortening
- 5 oz cold water
- 2 tsp ground flax seed

METHOD
1. Whisk dry ingredients together, then cut margarine into the dry ingredients. Work with your fingers until it resembles coarse bread crumbs.
2. Whisk flax seed into the water, then add to dry ingredients. Work into a soft dough.
3. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour.

Mini Pies
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups diced turnip
- 1 cup diced parsnip
- 1 cup diced rutabaga
- 2 cups diced potato
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2-3 tbsp white wine (or veg stock)
- 1 tsp sage
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp marjoram
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/3- 1/2 cup soy milk
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, potato, and carrots. Boil for 5-7 mins, or until softened but not mushy. Rinse with cold water, drain, rinse, and drain. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Saute onions, celery and garlic for 5-7 mins, until translucent. Add 1 tbsp of wine (or stock) and reduce. Repeat twice with remaining wine.
3. Add flour and spices to the pan and mix well. Then slowly add soy milk, mixing well. Add enough to make a gravy that is not too runny. Add cooked veggies, mix well, and season to taste. Set aside to completely cool (or stick it in the fridge).

To Make the Pies
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
1. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out twelve 7" circles (I cut around a cereal bowl), re-rolling dough scraps to make more circles. Place about 1/2 cup of filling off centre, brush a little water around half of the circumference, then fold in half. Press dough together along the seam, then press with a fork.
2. Cut two slits in the tops to allow steam to escape, the place on the baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 mins, or until golden brown.

I put half of these in the freezer, unbaked, for later. I will report back how they fared, and the method for thawing and baking.

Indian Potato Salad

I love potatoes and I love potato salad. Usually I go for a more traditional American salad with sweet pickles and plenty of mayo--perfect for summer. I also don't like too many crunchy bits in my salad (ixnae on the elerycae), a rule that I broke for this Indian inspired dish that is awesome warm or cold. This recipe also cuts back on the mayo by thinning it out with soy milk for a moist but not too runny potato salad.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb white potatoes, peeled and halved
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and halved
- 2 tbsp oil
- 15 pearl onion, peeled and halved
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 1/2 green chile, seeded and minced (I used jalapeno, the only thing around)
- 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 cup vegan mayo (or use half yogurt)
- soy milk as needed
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- salt pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Get some salted water boiling and cook the potatoes. Since sweet potatoes cook faster than white, ad then in about 10 mins before the white potatoes are done cooking (they take 20-25 mins, usually).
2. While potatoes are cooking, heat oil over med-hi in a large frying pan. Add onions and saute for a few mins, letting the outsides get nice and brown. Keep stirring so they don't burn. Add garlic, ginger, and chile and mix well. Add mustard seeds and cook a few mins more (seeds should begin to pop). Add spices and mix well. Remove from heat.
3. Drain cooked potatoes and let cool until warm but not hot. Cut into cubes. Mix mayo into the onion mixture, then toss with the potatoes. Thin as needed with soy milk so potatoes are coated. Mix in cilantro, and season to taste.

Aloo Channa / Pressure Cooker Potato Chickpeas Curry Recipe

This is a one-pot, or rather, one-pressure-cooker side dish that can be put together in a jiffy. Its a weeknight dish for me and the nights I make any kind of side dish using just the pressure cooker, my entire cooking gets done in less than 30 mins.

The only preparation you need to do in advance is to wash and soak the chickpeas either overnight or before you leave for work so that its all soaked and ready when you get back and need to make dinner.

Confession: on some nights, I get lazy on the way back in the train and drag TH to have dinner outside. On those nights, I come back, drain the soaked chickpeas and stick it in the fridge. It can be stored like that for a week until you are ready to make what you want with it.

Go ahead, I promise the chickpeas won't feel bad or anything.



Aloo Channa in the Pressure Cooker - One Pot Dish
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 cup soaked chickpeas
1 large potato, cubed
1 onion, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
1 tsp tomato paste (optional but gives depth to the gravy)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp jeera / cumin
1 tsp coriander powder / dhania powder / malli podi
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chilli powder
A pinch of turmeric powder
A pinch of amchoor / dry mango powder (optional)
2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
A few curry leaves
Salt to taste

How I Made It:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker pan and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. When the seeds pop, add the jeera and sliced onions. Fry until transparent.

2. Next add all the powders - red chilli powder, coriander, turmeric, garam masala and amchoor if using, and fry for 30 seconds.

3. Top it off with the ginger garlic paste and fry for another 30 seconds. Then add the chopped tomatoes and stir around until well combined.

4. Throw in the cubed potatoes, chickpeas, about 1.5 cups water and some salt and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. The idea is to cook it until the potatoes are mushy and the chickpeas are cooked well. Open up the pan and if you find that the curry is too watery (which shouldn't be the case normally), boil it for a while until the curry is thick enough. Check salt and remove from fire.



Serve hot with rotis. Goes well with pulao and even plain rice.

Aloo Capsicum Pulao / Potato Capsicum Pulao Recipe

A quick rice recipe from Mallika Badrinath's 100 Rice Delights. The addition of capsicum gives the rice dish a very different flavour - we loved it!

Please excuse the very mediocre picture

Potato Capsicum Pulao

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice

1 large potato or 2 medium to small ones

1 large capsicum, diced

2 medium-sized onions, diced

1 cup pureed tomato (about 2 tomatoes)

1 cup water

1/4 tsp garam masala

1 tbsp ghee (or oil)

Salt to taste

Grind together without water:

3 tbsp grated coconut

5 dry red chillies

1 small onion (or 6 shallots)

1 tbsp roasted channa dal / Bengal gram

2 flakes garlic

1 tsp coriander seeds (or 1 tsp coriander powder)

1 medium-sized tomato

How I Made It:

1. Soak rice for 30 mins. Pressure cook the potatoes for 1 whistle, peel, and set aside. 

2. Heat ghee or oil in the pressure cooker pan and fry the garam masala for 10 seconds. Then add the onions and fry until pink and transparent. 

3. Next add the capsicum and fry until it becomes soft. Add peeled, cubed potatoes and the ground coconut paste. Fry for about 2-3 mins and then add the pureed tomato and water. Add salt and bring to boil. 

4. Add rice to the boiling mixture, mix well and close the lid. Pressure cook for 2 whistles (about 5-6 mins). 

Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander or mint leaves. 

----------------------

On another note, TH has started to write on his most favourite sport and a huge passion of this - Tennis! There will be articles and most importantly, live ball by ball updates (like Cricinfo, but for tennis) when there's a match going on. Do pass on to your tennis-loving friends and family - The Chair Umpire. 

Heavenly Sesame Potatoes in Hot n Sweet Tomato Sauce

This recipe has probably spent the maximum number of days in my bookmarks. At the time I read this, I had just  moved to Singapore and didn't have a kitchen, let alone sesame oil and the rest of the ingredients this recipe requires. I finally made it a few weeks back and it was as yummy as I had imagined. Thank you Rajani for a keeper of a potato recipe that's both easy and delicious.

Heavenly Sesame Potatoes in Sweet Tomato Sauce
Adapted from: Rajani's EatWriteThink


Ingredients:
Serves: 2

2 large potatoes, cut into wedges (I used russet potatoes)
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 tomatoes, sliced into small pieces
1 small capsicum (or half of one), chopped fine
2 tsp soya sauce
1/2 tsp brown sugar (white sugar is also fine)
1 tsp crushed garlic (or 1/2 tsp garlic paste)
1 tsp red chilly powder
2 tbsp gingelly / sesame oil (must use this oil)
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves or spring onions, for garnish

How I Made It:

1. Shallow fry the potato wedges in oil until golden brown. Set aside to drain on a kitchen napkin.

2. In the remaining oil, add the onions and garlic and fry until golden brown. Then add the chilly powder and fry for a minute. Then add the tomatoes and saute until soft and mushy.

3. Turn heat to high and add the soya sauce and sugar. Fry on high for a minute and lower to medium heat. Add the capsicum and salt and mix well. Remove from fire after about 3-5 minutes.

4. Spoon this sauce over the potatoes and serve warm with garnish.

In Praise of Smoked Paprika

I finally got around to getting some propane for the BBQ. Usually I grill right through the winter, but I think the cold temps and snow up here in the north is slowly sapping my will to grill. Either that or I am getting old. In any event, I inaugurated BBQ season 2010 with grilled oyster mushrooms. I can't get enough of these because they really have a great grill flavour and texture. The perfect addition to any grilled menu are these potatoes, tossed in smoked paprika. If you have not had smoked paprika, get thee to the bulk food store post haste! Smoked paprika is great for many things (southern tofu, for example) but I particularly like it on potatoes since it makes a great brunch dish, or a side for a BBQ meal. Pictured is a pound of baby red potatoes, boiled for 15 mins, until soft but not mushy, then chopped in half and fried in a bit of olive oil. When potatoes are cooked with a crispy outside, season with kosher salt to taste and toss in about 1 tbsp of smoked paprika. I like to add it when the pan is still hot so it smokes a little before it coats the potatoes. Truly addictive!

Aloo Posto - Bengali Aloo / Potato Recipe

Reema sent me this recipe for Bengali Aloo Posto ages ago (over a year back, to be precise). I had to first get some poppy seeds from India because apparently they are not available (aka banned) in Singapore. Poppy seeds are said to induce a high and generally make you sleepy if you take it in large quantities. Although this aloo posto disappoints in that regard, there's a payasam / payash they make in Karnataka that is said to have this effect, and that's next in my agenda ;)

Poppy Seeds

Poppy seeds are also used in Kerala cooking, although sparingly. It is a good substitute for coconut (definitely not in flavour but in consistency) and I used to make this chicken curry with poppy seeds / khus khus that was such a hit that each time we bought chicken at home, which was rarely, I would insist on making this dish with some of it. 

Soaking is necessary to get the seeds rolling. Always soak in warm water for 15-20 mins before proceeding with the rest of the recipe. 

Kalonji

Meet kalonji. It looks a lot like black sesame seeds but kalonji is actually Nigella, or black caraway or popularly known in Bengal as Kala Jeera (black jeera). I have no relationship with these seeds, mind you. I am using them for the first time in this dish and they give a nice crunch to the aloo posto. Ah, the joys of experimenting. 

Bengali Aloo Posto (Potato in Poppy Seed Paste) Recipe

Ingredients:

3 medium potatoes, cut into 1" cubes

2-3 tbsp khus-khus / posto / poppy seeds

1 tbsp mustard oil (I used normal cooking oil)

1 tbsp kalonji / kala jeera / nigella seeds

2 Green chillies, slit (I used 3 dry red chillies since I was out of green chillies)

1 tsp ghee

A pinch of sugar

Salt to taste

How I Made It:

1. Soak the poppy seeds in 1 cup warm water for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain (use a tea strainer, the seeds will stick to your fingers and generally annoy you) and grind to a smooth paste. Add water by the tsp while grinding if it gets too thick. 

2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the kalonji. Fry for about 2 mins. Then add the potatoes and cook for 5 mins, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Make sure that your flame is kept to medium. 

3. Now add the poppy seed paste and the red chillies, broken into halves (or the green chillies which is what you should actually be using).  Fry for 3 mins and then top off with about a cup of water and cook covered for 10-12 mins until the potatoes are cooked through. 

4 .Stir in salt and sugar. The mixture should be thick and the poppy seeds paste should be sticking to the potato pieces by now. 

5. Remove from fire, stir in the ghee and serve warm with rice. 

The flavour was like nothing I had ever tasted. We immensely enjoyed this simple dish although next time I think I would make sure I add green chillies or maybe throw in a couple more red chillies. 

Irish Stew 2.0

Here is the stew I made for St. Patrick's Day. I have made Irish Stew before but this time I found a secret ingredient that made it even more awesome: Montreal Steak Spice. The pepper adds some kick while the coriander and paprika make for an earthy and hearty tasting stew. I did not have any seitan on hand, so I made "beef" by adapting the vegan sausage recipe and was thus able to whip up a tasty stew fairly quickly. As while most stews, feel free to improvise as you see fit. Here is what I did.

INGREDIENTS
Seitan
- this recipe, made with 1 1/2 cups of wheat gluten, no fennel, and 1 tbsp Montreal steak spice. I also added 1/2 tsp of gravy browner to get the dark brown colour. I then shaped it into a square, wrapped it in foil, and steamed it for 45 mins. I used half of the seitan (and froze the rest), cut it into small cubes and simmered it in the stew for about 30 mins. The end result was pretty good. Not too tough or bouncy.

Stew
- basically this recipe, but I did not use the vinegar or red wine. Instead I used veggie broth and added 2 tbsp Montreal steak spice. A reader commented that this was WAY too much steak spice, so maybe mine is old and less potent. Just add to taste.

Tofu and Potato Cakes

This is a take on a fish cake from an Indian cookbook I have. While the nori flakes do give some sea-like flavour, the end result is nothing like a fish cake, of course, but still tasty. I actually liked these better the next day after being fried up in a pan. I think it's because the potatoes firm up a bit and are less gooey. Still, either version is pretty good and the kids loved them.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 20 cakes
- 1 pkg extra firm tofu
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled, and coarsely mashed
- 4 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 green chile, seeded, and finely chopped
- 1" piece of ginger, minced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp nori flakes
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup soymilk
- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- bread crumbs

METHOD
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
1. While potatoes are cooking and cooling, crumble tofu into a bowl. Add green onions, chile, ginger, cilantro, nori flakes, flax seed, cornstarch, and salt and pepper. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, mix into the tofu. Knead a bit with your hands to being it all together.
2. Whisk cider vinegar into soymilk. Shape potato mixture into patties, dip in soy milk, then roll in bread crumbs, pressing the patty into the crumbs to get a good coating. Place on prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake for 30 mins, turning patties after 20 mins. Serve with chili sauce.

Roasted Vegetable Ragout

We spent the afternoon hiking through the snowy woods, so this thick and hearty stew made for the perfect dinner. I really apologize for the truly terrible picture--the colour is reminiscent of those pictures of luncheon meats from the 70s they used to hang over the deli counter in the grocery store. I love the combination of vermouth, tomato, and basil in this dish, and I like a stew so thick you can eat it off a plate. Roasting is worth the extra time to bring out the sweetness of the onions, but feel free to use whatever veggies you want.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 large sweet onion, cut into wedges
- 3 red potatoes, diced
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 15 Brussels sprouts, halved
- 1 19oz can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 tbsp oil
- salt and pepper
- 2 tsp basil
- 1 28oz can diced tomatoes, drained
- 2/3 cup dry vermouth
- 1 cup spaghetti sauce

METHOD
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
1. Toss veggies and beans in oil, season with salt and pepper, and then mix in basil. Spread out on a heavy baking sheet with sides (I used a stoneware sheet). Drain tomatoes very well and spread out over veggies. Bake for about 1 hour, turning veggies every 20 mins, until cooked and nicely browned.
2. Transfer veggies into a large pot. Add in vermouth and bring to bubbling. Cook for 10-15 mins, until reduced, then stir in spaghetti sauce. Bring to bubbling again, adjust seasoning, and serve. If the Brussels sprouts need more cooking, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender.

Leek, Onion and Potato Soup

I really need to think up more clever names for my dishes. This soup starts with inspiration from French Onion Soup but ends with delicious chunks of sweet potato and white kidney beans. You will notice that this recipe calls for a lot of leeks--that is because I had a bunch of them in the fridge that needed to be used up before they went bad. Feel free to cut down on the leeks by adding more onions. To my utter amazement, the kids bolted the soup right down and gave it two thumbs up.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 6
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 2 large sweet onions, halved and sliced
- 6 leeks, white and light greens part, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups red wine
- 5 cups water or veggie stock
- 2 tsp sage
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp marjoram
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp mushroom soy sauce (or regular)
- salt and pepper to taste (heavy on the pepper)
- 3 large red potatoes, peeled, small dice
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, small dice
- 1 19 0z can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained

METHOD
1. Heat oil and margarine in a large pot over medium heat. Add in onions and and saute for a few mins until they begin to soften. Then add in leeks and garlic and mix well. Once things are sizzling along, reduce heat to med-lo and cook, uncovered, for 45-60 mins, until onions and leeks become a nice golden brown. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.
2. Add wine to the pot and stir to deglaze. Add in water, spices, soy sauce, potatoes and beans. Bring to bubbling, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 30-45 mins, until potatoes are soft but not mushy. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.

Potato and Oyster Mushroom Curry

Tonight's recipe is the part two of my trio of posts on the new Indian dishes I made to branch out beyond my old favourites. It is based on a recipe that calls for shrimp, but uses oyster mushrooms instead. You could just use white or cremini mushrooms, but oyster mushrooms really are a treat because of their delicate texture and taste. This is also a quick and simple meal that can be on the table in about 30 mins. You will also note the naan sneaking into the picture (and in my last post). I use this recipe which is hands down the best I have ever made and is pretty close to the stuff actually baked in a tandoor oven.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, halved and sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 8 oz oyster mushrooms, cut into large pieces
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 lb potatoes, cut into small chunks
- 2 large tomatoes, small dice
- 1/2 cup water, more if needed
- 1 tsp lemon juice

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry onions and cilantro for 5-7 mins, until soft and translucent. Add mushrooms, salt, and spices. Fry for about 5 mins, until mushrooms release their water. Add a splash of water if spices stick too much.
2. Add potatoes, tomatoes, and water and mix well. Bring to bubbling, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15-20 mins, until potatoes are cooked. Add more water if it gets too dry, then stir in lemon juice and serve.

Green Potato Soup

I am a negligent blogger! Christmas is in nine days and I have nothing ready! Nada! I don't even know what the entree will be! Oh, stupid job getting in the way of the holidays! While I scramble around trying to make Christmas happen, here is an awesome soup to keep away the winter chill. The most amazing thing is that the kids ate it without a single whine. Put a pile of greens on their plate and the wailing can be heard for blocks, but put it in a soup and they bolt it down. Go figure.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp oil
- 3 leeks, white and light green part, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 small bunch swiss chard, stalks removed, chopped
- 4 cups water (more if needed)
- 1.5 lbs diced red potatoes
- 1 cup plain soy milk
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 4 cups baby spinach
- salt to taste
- lots of freshly ground pepper

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Saute leeks, celery, and garlic for 10 mins, until soft. Add chard and saute until wilted. Add water a blend with a hand blender until smooth.
2. Add potatoes. The liquid should almost cover the potatoes. Add more water, if needed. Bring to bubbling, cover, and simmer for 20 mins, or until potatoes are cooked.
3. Add soy milk and nutritional yeast and mix well. Season to taste. I made the soup rather peppery. Then add spinach a stir until wilted but still vibrant green. Serve.