Spicy Potatoes

This recipe is fairly malleable, I am constantly changes quantities, and ingredients (for example instead of cashew nuts I often use peanuts and leave out the raisins altogether - although they are surprisingly nice in this dish) so make this according to your tastes. If you don't like cinnamon then just dont put it in. Easy as that.

Ingredients

8 potatoes

Oil or ghee (butter) for deep frying, plus 3 tbsp oil or 2 tbsp ghee (butter)

2 large tomatoes

2 tbsp natural yogurt

1 tbsp cashew nuts

1 tbsp raisins

100ml water

½ level tsp sugar

Salt

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

For the paste

2.5cm cinnamon stick

Seeds of 2 cardamoms

3 cloves

6 black peppercorns

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp poppy seeds

1 cm piece of fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, skinned

Par boil the potatoes in well salted water.

Heat oil or ghee in a frying pan and when hot, add the potatoes.

Cook until golden brown and crispy, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.

Blend ingredients for the paste in a blender, food processor, or mortar and pestle with a little water

Heat the 3 tbsp oil or 2 tsp ghee in a large pan and fry the paste for 1-2minutes.

Add the tomato and yogurt and fry for 1 minute more, then add the cashew nuts and raisins and fry for 30 seconds.

Add potatoes to the pan with the water and cook for 3-4minutes.

Add the sugar and salt to taste.

Sprinkle coriander leaves on top and serve with rice.

By Tarla Dalal’s Indian Vegetarian Cookery