Haraa aloo (Green potatoes)

I've had this recipe for SOOOOOOOO long in my recipe file that the paper had actually started yellowing when I chanced upon it. I think it's about 6 years old because it's in the file that I filled with printouts of recipes - food that I longed for in those days when I was desperate for authentic Indian food that I didnt have to make (didnt get anywhere much with that attitude, actually). I hadnt got to the point where I'd started actually making the food I craved, I was merely browsing recipes like mad and printing them off!

Anyhow, on to the recipe. I hope y'all know that these potatoes arent green from mould, or green from too much exposure to light, or even green from envy. They're only green because of the masala used to coat them :)

Oh by the way, if you dont like fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, dont even bother making this recipe. It's mainly coriander leaves with a bunch of other stuff thrown in. I actually didnt think it would work, because the recipe calls for just 1 tsp oil and no water. As it turned out, I did add 2-3 tbsp water because I thought it might burn. It might NOT have, but I wasnt trusting enough to risk it!



This is a very simple recipe. Just slice your potatoes - make sure they're salad potatoes that will hold their shape even when cooked, you dont want them reducing to a mush - grind your masala, put the two together and pan-fry-steam-cook till the 'taties are done. That's it. Oh, just one more thing - did I say that this is a slightly adapted Sanjeev Kapoor recipe? No? Well, it's a slightly adapted Sanjeev Kapoor recipe.

Recipe for: Haraa aloo (Green potatoes)



Ingredients:

4-6 salad potatoes, sliced 1/3 cm thick
1 small bunch coriander leaves (about 1 generous cupful)
Fresh geen chillies to taste (I used 5)
1" piece ginger, sliced
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp coconut grated
Tamarind - large marble sized piece, or 1 tsp if using paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Make a smooth paste by grinding together everything but the potatoes, salt and oil, using as little water as possible.



2. Mix this paste with the potato slices so that each slice is well coated.





3. Heat the oil in a pan and add the potatoes. Stir well, then cover with a tight-fitting lid.

4. Cook the potatoes over a low flame, adding 2-3 tbsp if you think the masala is going to burn at the bottom of the pan.

5. When the potatoes are cooked, add salt to taste and stir.



6. Let the potatoes cook for a minute longer, then turn off the hob.



7. Serve hot with chapaties and dal.