"Divine Potatoes" - Recipe for Indian style dish

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"Divine Potatoes" is my nickname for a fabulous vegetarian dish that my equally-fabulous housemate P. can, to my astonishment, whip out with amazing ease... a dish for which she says there's no name.   Hence my nickname!   

I think it deserves a "Michelin star"! (a prestigious culinary award.)  Do we dare to re-create it?  Fasten your seat-belts, and let's jump in!

[DRAFT  DRAFT  DRAFT  DRAFT  DRAFT]

SHORT VERSION :  boiled potatoes with Indian-style gravy.

LONG VERSION :  the full recipe is 1,862 pages long, and requires a 10-year apprenticeship to master, but here's an executive summary (just kidding!)


On a cutting board, start preparing what will become the GRAVY:

  1. Ginger: grate it
  2. Green chile : chop into small pieces
  3. Red onion : chop
  4. Tomato : chop   [VARIATION: use tomato puree instead]
In a pot or frying pan, on a low flame, start with:
  1. Add a small amount of ground-nut oil, or olive oil
  2. Add about a teaspoon of mustard seeds
  3. Add about a teaspoon of cumin
Now add to the pot the green chile and ginger prepared earlier.

Cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the red onion prepared earlier.

Add a little salt and a little turmeric.

Cover, and reduce heat.

Occasionally stir.  Wait until the onions start becoming soft.

Add the tomatoes chopped earlier.   Also add a couple of spoons of tomato puree (such as "Mutti Organic" brand); other tomato sauce might be substituted for.

Stir until things are getting softer.  Then continue cooking on low heat, but covered.


TRACK 2 - the potatoes.   Peel and slice into cubes; put into water and boil.


BACK TO GRAVY - After about 10 mins of cooking:
  1. Add a small amount of garam masala
  2. Add a small amount of raw mango powder
  3. Add a pinch of red chile powder
When the gravy is getting generally soft, take out desired quantity.  Rule of thumb: 1 tea cup of gravy per potato.

Add directly to the serving cup:  about a teaspoon of coriander powder.

Let it sit for about 5 mins.  Meanwhile, the cheat method for (pseudo-)Indian bread : just use a tortilla, warm on a pan, optionally splatting it with a little ghee.  Flip it over once.

When the boiled potatoes are ready, mix them with the gravy.  Use the (not-so-)Indian bread to take bites of the potato mix, or simply make a small "burrito".

ENJOY!


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