Pic by Brian Mendonca
-Brian Mendonca
For breakfast there were chapatis to eat. But what to eat them with? I decided to try out a potato bhaji. It turned out well. This is how it went. I like to arrange the ingredients in separate small bowls, so I know it is all there in front of me to add.
PORTION
Two servings for two adults
TIME
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Oil (2 tablespoons)
Boiled potatoes (3 medium-sized)
Onions (2 medium-sized)
Chillies, green (4)
Salt (to taste)
Ginger (1 small bit)
Garlic (4 pods)
Mustard seeds
Cummin (Jeera)
Asafoetida (Hing)
Garam masala
Turmeric
Chilly powder
Curry leaves (6) (Karipatta)
Coriander leaves
Coconut (scraped)
Mint leaves
Lemon (half)
METHOD
Dice the boiled potatoes after peeling them. Cut the onions. Cut chillies length-wise. Peel the ginger and chop finely. Pound the ginger and garlic to a paste.
Heat a deep-bottomed skillet on a small flame. Put a spoonful of oil. Put in a pinch of asafoetida. Add mustard till you can smell the flavour. Add cummin seeds. Add the onions and the salt. Put in the ginger-garlic paste, stirring all the while. Put in the chillies. Put in the curry leaves. Breathe the aroma. Put in the turmeric, a dash of garam masala and a pinch of chilly powder. Once the tadka is blended and ready, it's time to put in the potatoes.The skillet should be properly steaming by now. Mix the potatoes well. Add more salt. If the mixture is drying up, put the flame on simmer and add half a teacup of water. Add more salt. Stir till the water dries and the bhaji is cooked well.
Once the bhaji is ready, chop coriander leaves finely and sprinkle on the dish. A few mint leaves would enhance the flavour. Grated coconut to be added for a finishing touch to slow down the spice. A hint of lemon perhaps.
Serve hot with hot chapatis. It can be a nice side dish for a meal too.
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Base recipe from Potpuja: Timeless Goan Recipes by Usha Vaman Bale. Top pic taken of potato bhaji made from the above recipe. Courtesy, Brian Mendonca.
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