28 | February | 2007 | My Cookbook

Aloo (Hindi) are commonly known as potatoes. These wonderful starchy tubers are called Bangaladumpa, alugadda and urlagadda in Telugu. In general potatoes are very nutritious and low in calorie, fat and cholesterol free, which is also high in Vitamin C, potassium and also rich source of Vitamin B6 and dietary fiber, also best know for their carbohydrate content. In general a potato contains zero fat and a 5.3-ounce potato is only 100 calories. It is different kinds of toppings make the dish fattening. Potatoes are often considered as comfort food, also a staple food and the number one vegetable crop in the world. Potatoes are available year-around. The potato belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family whose other members include tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and tomatillos. They are the swollen portion of the underground stem which is called a tuber and is designed to provide food for the green leafy portion of the plant. If allowed to flower and fruit, the potato plant will bear an inedible fruit resembling a tomato (Source Wiki). I love potatoes in all forms, fries, baked, roasted or curried. Potatoes are often used a lot in Indian cooking. It blends very easily with all other ingredients/ vegetables. I love them in all forms, few of my favorites are aloo methi, aloo paratha, sukhe aloo, bangaladumpa vepudu (potato fry), upma koora, bajji, bonda and the list keeps on going. This is my entry for Happy Burp’s “Jhiva for Potato”.

Ingredients

½ pound baby potatoes (cooked & peeled)
½ cup frozen peas

For makhani gravy
2 medium onions (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic
½ inch ginger
2-3 green chillies
2 medium tomatoes (blanched & purée)
Soak fist full of almonds (soaked & peeled)
1 tsp khus khus (poppy seeds)
2 tbsp heavy cream/ half & half

Dry masala
1 bay leaf
2-3 cardamoms
1 inch cinnanamon stick
1 ½ tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
Chilli powder (according to taste)
½ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp oil
2 tsbp chopped coriander leaves

Left to right (baby potatoes, tomato purée, almond& poppy seeds paste and onion paste) Dry masala’s missing in the picture

Procedure

Heat oil in 2 tbsp oil in a skillet on medium heat; add peeled potatoes (whole) and sauté the potatoes until golden brown all sides. Turn of the heat, drain and keep aside.In same skillet add 1 tbsp butter to the remaining oil, when the butter starts melting add onions, garlic and ginger and sauté until onions turn soft and browned. Remove from heat and cool.

Grind onion mixture and keep aside. Grind almonds & khus khus with little water into a smooth paste.

Heat remaining oil and butter on medium flame, when butter starts to melt add bay leaf, cardamom & cinnanamon stick and sauté for couple of minutes, add onions paste and fry for 3-5 minutes, add dry masala, chilli powder, turmeric and sauté for couple of minutes add almond paste and cook till the raw smell disappears and starts to leave the fat, now stir in tomato purée and cook until you start seeing fat. Now add cream, potatoes, peas, water (approx 1-1 ½ cups) , salt and mix well, adjust the seasoning if needed , reduce the heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes covered , keep stirring in the middle. Turn of the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with choice of meal (rice or roti)