A Simple Potato Curry

(This was originally posted on 12/21/2006.)
My husband comes from a big family and when we have family gatherings, our number would surpass 50 75. I lived for a short time with my in laws after my wedding and there would be almost 10 people around the food table, any given day. Cooking would be a huge chore, especially when all the siblings and their families visited. To my surprise, whenever the whole family gathered there would be a roti night instead of cooking a simple rice item. My mother in law would get a reprieve from the kitchen tasks and the rest of the women would take turns in making rotis and curries. I remember that we always ended up going for a second packet of flour after finishing a three kilo packet of wheat flour for our roti making. And also Thursday dinners would always be rotis as the elders did not eat rice that night. My sister in law was responsible for the dinner preparation on those days and I, who happened to be a novice cook then used to be her helper.

I am not sure whether my sister in law particularly liked this curry  or hated all the hassle and opted for this simple and delicious version. It did not involve a lot of chopping or toiling in front of the stove. Instead of cutting the vegetables into tiny bits (until our backs started complaining), she would chop them into big chunks and put them together in a wok adding some water and forget them for a while. At the end when they were done, she used to add some salt, chili powder and sambhar powder. Yep, sambhar powder. Anyway it used to be lip smacking and nobody had any complaints. The curry used to be watery but I mash a few potato pieces to make it like a thicker gravy. I cook this curry very rarely nowadays and slightly differently but a lot of nostalgia attached to it and is a easy and fuss-free one for novice cooks.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 onions, sliced or diced  
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
About 4 cups chopped and boiled potatoes
Salt to taste
Chili powder to taste
2 tbsp. sambhar powder or to taste (I used homemade one.)
1/2 tsp. sugar or to taste
Minced cilantro to garnish
(Imaginative and creative ones over there, you can always add whatever you wish).
Directions:
* Heat oil in a wok / pan on the stove and add mustard seeds. When they start to sizzle and splutter, add onion and cook until it is done. No need to brown. Next add tomatoes and cook until mushy and add turmeric powder. 
* At this point, boiled potatoes can be added if handy or add chopped potatoes and a cup of water. Cover and cook on low medium setting, until potatoes are fork tender. Check in between and add water if needed. 
* Add salt, chili powder, sambhar powder, and sugar to the pan and stir well. Mash some of the potato pieces with the back of the spoon and add extra water if needed. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Let the mixture come to a boil and lower the heat. Simmer for a couple of minutes and turn off the stove.
* Garnish with minced cilantro leaves and serve warm with rotis / bread.

Comment