Home-garden New Potatoes Curry (Instant Pot)

 

Potatoes and onions have become quite the staple in today's cuisine that the market is flooded with them throughout the year. And yet, there is something satisfying about growing a few in the backyard as they are easy, no-fuss plants that manage to survive despite my neglect.

Potato plant's flowers are rather unassuming yet sprightly when in bloom. 

 

Baby potatoes are fun to dig up and use, as long as they are not green.

A growing potato with its multiple arms and tentacles seems quite alien and spooky, if I let my imagination run a bit wild. When the plant has withered and died back, it is with a mix of sadness and anticipation that I dig up the adult potatoes.

Anyway, back to the Instant Pot Potato Curry. Simply peel the potatoes. I like to scoop out or drill a hole and stuff the potato with the masala paste for added flavor. Dump the stuffed potatoes, tomato sauce, favorite curry spices, plus about a cup of water into the instant pot. Pressure cook for about 12 minutes till potatoes are fork tender. Natural release after about 10 minutes. Then set it to saut/simmer mode and allow the gravy to thicken per taste. Adjust flavors. I use Garam masala paste or powder usually, with a touch of  Madras curry powder and brown sugar.

Quelite Lamb's Quarter Leaves with Potatoes

Quelite (kay-lee-thay) shown here is also known as pigweed or lamb's quarter. (Any generic greens can be referred to as quelite as well, as I understand it).

This particular weed used to be a commonplace greens my mom cooked when I was young. Known as Paruppu Keerai or Chakravarthi Keerai, Chenopodium album is not as popular as, say, spinach or kale, even though it is supposed to have hepatoprotective benefits, as well as antibacterial activity on a handful of pathogens that affect humans. Some weeds have it better than others!

All that aside, did I happen to mention that I picked up a bunch of quelite from the farmer's market when I also picked up some pipitza  and some papalo that this bubbly farmer encouraged me to munch on while I shopped at his stand?

I sifted through my childhood memories and came up with this simple dish that I used to love eating with rice and rasam.

Ingredients
1 medium onion, diced
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, minced
6 to 8 ripe cherry tomatoes (any variety is fine, I had these handy in the garden)
1 bunch of quelite/lamb's quarter/pigweed, tender stem and leaves chopped, washed
2 large potatoes, cut into chunks
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Juice of one lime
salt to taste
1 Tbsp sesame oil


Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onions, garlic, turmeric powder and a pinch of salt, sauté
2. Add the chunks of potatoes, some water, cover and cook till potatoes are par-cooked
3. Add the chopped quelite, tomatoes, brown sugar, salt, some more water, cover and cook till greens are tender and potatoes are fork-tender
4. Off heat, squeeze the juice of one lime, stir well and serve warm with roti or naan, or plain brown rice

Batter-fried Rockfish with Home-grown Potatoes

Not quite prolific yield as some years back, but, despite my inadvertent neglect, the bush green beans are trickling in by the handful. I stuck them in a spot where they barely get a few hours' direct sunlight each day so I am not expecting them to be bountiful this year.

Some of the home-grown potatoes were dug up as well, while they were still young, just the way I like them for a quick steam-and-sauté

Some rockfish caught in Alaska seemed perfect for batter-dipping and frying.

Corn starch plus chickpea flour with salt and paprika blended in ice cold plain soda is my favorite batter for getting a nice crisp crunch. Of course, oil temperate matters, so checking that between batches is something I am training myself to do.

Some chimichurri made with home-garden herbs served as the dip for the fish, although the kids turned up their noses and reached for the ubiquitous ketchup (no HFCS, organic!) when it came to dipping their fish and chips.

Home-grown Creamy Potato Salad No Mayonnaise

Potato salad is potato salad. A picnic staple. A summer essential. A carb-watcher's nightmare. Unless I can restrict myself to a small forkful.

Anyway, we had these potatoes in the backyard that were ready to be dug up. Incidentally, the potato flowers are just gorgeous. I never stopped to smell them before, but now that I did, they didn't quite smell like anything, but that's beside the point... They were vivid and perky all the same.

And, there were the potatoes themselves. Not what some would call gorgeous or elegant, but more earthy, rustic, and quite misshapen. Something a consumer with high expectations would avoid picking out and paying for at their favorite green grocer's, but something that might go home from a neighborhood Farmer's market and sit in a wicker basket for photos and provide an interesting topic for offhand chats with friends.

Now, everybody has a favorite potato salad recipe. Or two. Or three. I don't have a favorite or a standard one. Since I turn up my nose on mayonnaise, that particular staple is out. Instead, I prefer thick strained Greek yogurt with some stone ground mustard and olive oil to start off the dressing. And then, whatever is handy gets thrown in, like, chives, green onions, thyme, along with a splash of red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and salt to taste. This time I added a teaspoonful of chipotle in Adobo sauce to the dressing and was pleased with the results.

I know, I should have diligently measured and written down the recipe for the dressing, but, I am a slacker sometimes, sorry about that. As always, if you like to try this recipe, just start off with the listed ingredients and adjust to taste. I like the potato salad creamy/juicy, not too dry, somewhat overdressed.

For the dressing:

Greek yogurt

Stone ground mustard, plus Dijon and yellow mustard to taste

Chipotle in adobo sauce

Olive oil

Red wine vinegar

Lemon juice, plus some zest

thyme

For the salad:

steamed potatoes

boiled eggs (optional)

finely chopped celery

grated pickles

shallots or purple onions, finely minced and sauteed to prevent the onion-breath syndrome

Kale and Potatoes Spiced with Turmeric and Berbere

Saag Aloo/Aloo Palak is an earthy staple side for rotis and rice, made with potatoes (aloo) and palak (spinach).  Aloo Mattar (potatoes+peas), Aloo Gobi (potatoes+cauliflower) are two other favorite sides that are ubiquitous in Indian homestyle cooking.

Hunks of pototoes are cooked till they are fork-tender but still retain their shape; along with any other seasonal greens or other vegetable, mildly spiced with turmeric, chili powder, and salt typically.

This time, for this kale+potatoes dish, I went with turmeric powder and berbere powder which I had some handy from my recent Injera bash.

Saute some garlic and onions, add the diced potatoes, some turmeric powder, salt and berbere powder, splash enough water, cover and cook till potatoes have softened a bit, then add the chopped kale, adjust seasoning and cover and cook till kale wilts. Remove the lid and cook till the dish comes together, stirring sparingly as needed.

Plaintain, Carrot, Potato, Zucchini Coconut Poduthuval

Plantain and coconut featured in my meals quite frequently during my formative years. Coconut and green chilies ground together to a powdery mix, with no water added, is a favorite spicing additive to many vegetable dishes in my kitchen.

Nothing extra special about this dish, except that I made it one evening and got to enjoy it over three subsequent meals since none of the others at home really care for this dish. Along with my favorite garlic black pepper rasam and plain brown rice, this vegetable medley was quite the comfort food I was craving for.

Plantain, when green and not too ripe, is wonderful as a vegetable in savory dishes. Peel the thick skin before using.

Simply dice the veggies: I used one each of plantain, carrot, potatoes, zucchini.

Coconut+chili Spice Mix: Chop about 4 mild green chilies and add it to quarter cup of dry grated coconut and blend to a powdery spice mix

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when they pop add cumin seeds and when they plump up, add the veggies (all but zucchini, which cooks faster than plantains), splash about half cup of water, some salt, cover and allow to cook; when par-cooked, add the zucchini and stir well; check often for doneness and add a bit more water as needed till veggies are cooked to your liking. Off heat, stir in the coconut+chili mix and adjust salt to taste.

Scotch Potato Falafel

Things enveloped in things, enveloped in things... ad infinitum has been quite a tradition with the royalty around the world and through the ages.

Scotch eggs come about in my kitchen on and off, especially since the kids and the other half like it with pasta and sauce. The usual Scotch egg I make for them is fairly standard, with only the flavoring customized.

While I am not a big meat fan, I don't mind occasional turkey or chicken, maybe salmon or halibut, that's about it. No red meat, no other exotic meats. 

So, to satisfy my tastes, I make Scotch eggs my way: instead of ground turkey, I use falafel batter for the outer coating. And, sometimes, I substitute the boiled egg with par-cooked largish new baby potato. That, in short, is the Falafel Scotch Potato/Egg. 

Turkey Enveloped Scotch Egg

Ingredients
For the coating layer:
1 lb lean ground turkey
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Bragg liquid aminos
1 tsp Shawarma spice mix
1 tsp Cajun spice mix
1 tsp celery seeds
½ tsp ground oregano
1 tsp demerara sugar

1 Tbsp oil

5 boiled eggs, peeled

Preparation

1. Combine the ingredients for the coating layer and mix well
2. Rub some oil in the palms and flatten a ball of meat mixture
3. Envelop the eggs with this seasoned meat mixture coating 
4. Bake in a 425°F oven for about 20 minutes; I prefer it well done rather than underdone so, I turn off the heat and leave it in the oven for an extra 5 minutes
5. Serve warm with salad or vegetable sides like green beans and peas and potatoes; my kids prefer it with pasta and sauce, or pasta salad with veggies

Falafel Scotch Potato

I try to keep the falafel batter envelop layer fairly thin for quick cooking; if the consistency of the batter is not just right, the outer layer will crumble easily. It has happened to me quite a few times - adding flour and baking powder per Bittman's recipe seems to work consistently well, especially if the batter is fairly thick to be able to shape.

Incidentally, veggie balls dipped in chickpea flour batter, called Bonda, is a favorite tea time snack in India. Any filling can be used, but, typically it is mashed potatoes, carrots, peas and onions. I remember "Egg Bonda" that a neighbor aunty used to make and share with me. Bonda is fried in oil. In that sense, this falafel wrapped baked eggs is much like the Egg Bonda from my younger days, only not as much oil involved.

Ingredients

1 to 1½ cups any standard falafel batter - I use soaked chickpeas ground, with added flavors like garlic, tomato paste, salt and cayenne pepper powder; Mark Bittman's recipe works well

a few par-cooked new baby potatoes 

a couple of boiled eggs

a tablespoon or so of oil

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F
2. Envelop the boiled eggs and par-cooked potatoes with the falafel batter
3. Bake in the 375°F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes turning it around, and turning the pan around as needed, depending on your oven
4. Remove from heat, allow to rest before cutting open to serve

Okra and Fingerling Potatoes Curry

Usually I go for the frozen okra available year-round, but, I found some fresh okra for a reasonable price at the grocery store and couldn't resist. Steamed Fingerling potatoes are kids' current fad food so I had  a bag of them handy.

Some fresh cherry tomatoes and walla walla pearl onions from the garden, plus the curry leaves from the local Burmese store made this delicious spicy side dish which is best enjoyed with plain brown rice and plain yogurt.

Heat some olive oil or sesame oil in a pan, saute some onions, then add the cut okra, curry leaves, and cherry tomatoes, some salt and curry powder (or any favorite seasoning), a splash of water, cover and cook till okra is almost done.Then add the par-cooked fingerling potatoes, stir well. Cook tell vegetables are done. Garnish with cilantro if preferred. Serve warm.

Chermoula Mushroom and Potatoes

Chermoula is a North African spice-paste/sauce-mix with rich flavors that I appreciate in Indian curries. For this recipe, I deviated slightly from my Chermoula Eggplant Two Ways formula in keeping with my fusion cuisine signature.

I had just a couple of wedges of Preserved Lemons left and thought they'd be perfect for this batch of Chermoula. When I make a batch, it is usually a large one, so I store it in the fridge for upto 5 days and use it up to flavor different dishes.

Potatoes and mushrooms with sauteed onions are such a perfect combination, and with some green bell peppers they turn heavenly.

So, I decided to serve them in two ways:

1. Chermoula Mushroom and Potatoes, infused with South Indian flavor from Curry leaves and dry red chilies
2. South Indian pan-sauteed Mushroom and Potatoes with Curry Leaves, Tempered with Mustard Seeds and Urad Dal

Chermoula Mushroom and Potatoes

For Chermoula sauce:
2 Tbsp coriander powder
1 cup loosely packed fresh chopped cilantro leaves, stem and all
2 Tbsp sweet paprika powder
1 Tbsp whole black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp turmeric powder
4 Tbsp Sambal Oelek
2 wedges of preserved lemon
2 Tbsp olive oil

3 medium Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed (or any other variety of potatoes)
8 to 10 Baby Bella or Cremini - small Portabella mushrooms, sliced
6 to 8 Snow peas (optional)
6 curry leaves (available at Indian stores)
1 Jalapeño pepper sliced
1 medium green bell pepper chopped into chunks (optional)
1 small yelow onion, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil

Preparation

1. Combine the chermoula ingredients and grind to a fine paste, adding water if needed
2. Par-cook the potatoes in the microwave
3. Heat olive oil in a pan, add the curry leaves and jalapeños and sauteé a bit; then add the onions, chermoula paste and lower the heat to medium and sauté stirring frequently till the chermoula paste loses the rawness and turns a richer, deeper color
4. Add the mushrooms, snow peas, bell peppers and par-cooked potatoes, cover and allow to simmer for a few minutes over low to medium-low heat till flavors meld and potatoes are cooked through but not mushy
5. Serve warm with plain hot basmati rice or flatbread 

Mushroom and Potatoes South Indian style

Many of the vegetables sides I grew up with were made in the simple South Indian style of tempering with mustard seeds and urad dal (peeled, split black gram), with curry leaves and dry red chilies, some salt; and perhaps some grated coconut. 

To this day, I love green beans and all varieties of string beans, snake gourd, chayote squash and pumpkin cooked this way.

Ingredients

½ tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp split urad dal

2 Tbsp vegetable oil or sesame oil

6 to 8 fresh curry leaves

2 to 3 dry red chilies, broken to release the seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp asafoetida powder

salt to taste

Peeled, cubed and cooked potatoes, firm not mushy

Sliced Portabella mushrooms (or any other favorite)

diced onions

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan, when the oil is shimmering, add the urad dal and allow it to get golden brown; then add the mustard seeds and cover with a screen lid to contain the splattering mustard seeds, then immediately add the dry red chilies and then the curry leaves; allow the curry leaves to crisp up a bit, then add the asafoetida and turmeric powder
2. Add the onions and sauté a bit, then add the potatoes and mushroom, stir well and cover and cook on medium-low heat for a few minutes till mushroom sweats and is not raw anymore
3. This dish is fairly dry so cook till excess water from the mushrooms and onions are gone
4. Serve with rice and sambar or koottu or dal

Spinach, Cauliflower, Potato Soup with Pumpkin Rounds

Now that wintry weather is here, the sun absconding for months at a stretch, the dinners lean towards hot casseroles, soups, and fresh-from-the-oven rustic breads/rolls/dampers... there is no set combination, really. Whatever I can throw together and we are in the mood for. One of my favorites is meatless Borscht.

Creamy Cheesy Broccoli Soup is a favorite with the kids, along with Sour Dough or Rosemary-Potato Bread. Tomato Florentine with Cheese Bread. Chunky Fusilli/Rotini/Radiatori Pasta with Vegetables Soup and Herb+Olive Dampers.

The quick breads and rolls and dampers come in handy for weeknight meals. And, of course at times, artisan bakers have done the work and I just bring one of their creations home and heat and serve. I found myself addicted to Pugliese bread for a while, along with Borscht...

The Spinach, Cauliflower, Potato Soup here is quick and simple. To cut down on cooking time, I par cook the potatoes in the microwave for about 5 minutes before adding it to the soup.

Ingredients
2 medium potatoes, peeled, diced, par-cooked
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Madras Curry powder
1 tsp coriander powder
4 cups vegetable broth/stock
2 cups water
½ cup evaporated milk (optional)
salt to taste
arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) as needed for thickening


For the Pumpkin Rounds:
2½ cups flour
3¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ tsp chopped herbs
4 Tablespoon Smart Balance Omega Butter Light (or butter)
1 egg
3/4 cup pureed pumpkin

Preparation

1. Soup: Combine the vegetables (except spinach), broth, water, spices and a tsp of salt in a large pot and bring to a boil; simmer at medium-low heat till cauliflower is tender; adjust seasonings to taste; add the spinach leaves, cover and simmer for a few more minutes; thicken as needed; off-heat stir in the evaporated milk, if using
2. Pumpkin Rounds: Pre-heat oven to 415°F; Cut in the butter into the flour+baking powder to form fine crumbs; Make a well in the center and add the beaten egg and pureed pumpkin, knead the dough till smooth; Roll it out on a dusted surface to about 2-inch thick and cut small rounds; Place in a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 mins till tops are golden and insides are done

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Mole Sauce

Some leftover mashed potatoes and a handful of fresh spinach leaves came together for this filling. The sauce is based on my version of the Mole Sauce shared almost 4 years ago, but, just a bit different.

Ingredients
2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup thick mashed potatoes
1 cup tightly packed baby spinach leaves
1 or 2 Tbsp finely diced red onions or shallots (optional)
½ Tbsp Smart Balance Omega butter (optional)


for the Mole-ish sauce:
2 cup stewed diced tomatoes
½ cup full-bodied red wine* (or a favorite that you prefer to cook with)
1 Tbsp dark cocoa powder
½ medium onion diced finely
½ cup water (as needed)
1 tsp cayenne pepper powder
½ tsp oregano powder
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp coriander powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
salt to taste

*I use Gato Negro Shiraz for sauces as it is usually handy, but I also like to use Port (tawny) for cooking sometimes. The alcohol cooks off anyway, so, any good wine is fine.

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F
2. Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts flat and marinate them in red wine vinegar if preferred for about 10 or 15 minutes while assembling the rest of the ingredients
3. Filling: Combine the potatoes and spinach with some salt (and any additional herbs, seasoning if preferred) to make a thick mass for filling the chicken breasts
4. Prepare: Line a cookie sheet or baking tray with Aluminium foil, lay the chicken breasts flat, add just enough filling to be able to fold over, dot with butter, fold over the chicken breast and hold with a toothpick; dot with butter (or brush some on) on the outside
5. Bake: Cover with another piece of Al foil and bake in the 400°F oven for about 20-25 minutes or so till juices run clear and internal temperature is over 165°F; remove foil and cook for another 10 minutes or so, remove from oven, let it rest a few minutes;  it is a bit tricky to check temperature when filling is in, but, as long as the thickest part of the chicken breast registers 170°F, I am satisfied; 
6. Sauce: Meanwhile, combine the sauce ingredients in a pan and cook till reduced to 2/3rds its initial volume; purée in a blender to desired smoothness, return to pan and continue cooking till sauce is reduced to the desired thickness. (I prefer the sauce not too runny)
7. Serve: Optionally, heat a teaspoon or so of oil in a pan and brown the chicken breasts on the outside before serving with the sauce

Easy Potatoes au Gratin

This classic French dish is certainly to be enjoyed in its traditional form, with delicious cheese sauce, baked for a good hour and a half. But, since I like to take short-cuts without sacrificing the taste (much), this has become a nice weeknight meal, especially on cold nights.

Basically, the short-cut I take is in making the sauce and the cooking time: I use canned creamy soup, grated cheese, and cook for about 35-45 minutes till done. As I make this with the kids in mind, I add some mixed vegetables and leave out the onions. So, while not quite authentic, this potatoes-and-cheese dish seems to be well-loved at home.

Ingredients
4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced in rounds
1 can cream of celery or cream of potato soup
1 stick of celery diced finely (optional)
½ cup frozen mixed vegetables (optional)
1 clove of garlic, put through a garlic press, or grated finely
1 cup freshly grated Colby Jack cheese
½ cup water, as needed
salt and ground black pepper to taste
spring onion, chives for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F
2. Grease a casserole/baking dish with vegetable spray and arrange the sliced potatoes in overlapping layers; toss in the frozen vegetables and celery, if using
3. Sauce: Empty the can of soup into sauce pan, add about half a can of water to keep the soup fairly thick, and heat it, stirring well, till it boils; adjust flavors to taste
4. Pour the hot thick soup over the potatoes in the baking dish, top with grated Colby Jack cheese, cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes till bubbly and potatoes are done (if potatoes are not sliced thin enough, increase baking time accordingly)
5. Uncover the foil and bake another 10 minutes or so till cheese is bubbly and slightly brown
6. Garnish as desired and serve warm

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Fingerling potatoes are a heritage variety of potatoes that are usually small, oblong, about the size of a largish finger. And, when in season, they are aplenty and fairly inexpensive. Well, not inexpensive compared to sturdy old Idahos, but, reasonable enough , let's say :)

Fingerlings are not new potatoes which are just baby potatoes (like we dig up from our garden early winter), and are usually roundish. There are quite a few varieties of fingerling potatoes in the market and so far the ones I've tried have all been good - Ruby Crescent, French Fingerling, Russian Banana.

Some are best steamed, some are best roasted, usually cooked with the skin on. This is a simple recipe for roasted Ruby Crescent Fingerling potatoes (400°F oven, about 20 minutes), with herbs and light seasoning. Somehow, it seems like rosemary and potatoes are made for each other :)

Fresh rosemary from the garden, with a touch of olive oil and some salt makes this one of our favorite sides, and was especially good with Blood Orange, Beets and Black Plum salad.

Tareko Alu

Alu, aka potatoes, have become such a universal and versatile vegetable that almost every cuisine features its own special styles of cooking them.

Tareko Alu, Delicately spiced fried potatoes is another simple recipe from Nepalese Kitchen by Loke Rajye Laxmi Devi. I cut down on the oil a bit as the recipe called for a cup of mustard oil and all I had was about 4 Tablespoons. It still turned out fine.

Stirring in the spice paste towards the end and cooking it just enough till rawness went away made this quite aromatic and delicious, almost like an appetizer or snack to be eaten as-is.

Ingredients
4-5 medium white wax potatoes, cut into wedges
1-2 chilies slit lengthwise (optional)
3-4 Tablespoon mustard oil
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste

spices to grind:
4-6 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
3-4 green chilies
1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Preparation

1. Soak the potatoes while getting the ground paste ready
2. Combine the spice and grind to a fine paste, keep aside
3. Par-cook the potatoes in the mcirowave, if preferred - I like it as it cuts down on cooking time and I don't have to deep fry
4. Heat oil in a cast iron pan which can hold all the potatoes in a single layer; when smoking, add the fenugreek seeds
5. Once the fenugreek crackles, add the potatoes, turmeric and salt and stir a bit to coat well and allow to sit over medium high heat to brown on one side
6. Add the spice paste and stir to caot well, and flip the potato wedges to the other side without breaking up
7. Allow to get lightly browned, off heat and serve hot with roti or rice

rustic cabbage and potato stew

Irish Cuisine invokes images of hearty potatoes, cabbage, beer, stews, soda breads and more beer. Now, I have not truly tasted authentic Irish foods yet, and am hoping to do so when we plan a vacation next year.

But, meanwhile, I had bought this fragrant, fresh and earthy rosemary artisan bread hoping to have it with some hearty soup or stew for a weeknight dinner, and started looking around for some Irish stew recipes. Then decided to just go my own way and make something healthy, yet quick and easy to dip the rosemary bread in.

Since, we have a bunch of small/new/baby potatoes we had dug out of our garden recently and since I discovered a chunk of shy cabbage from a few weeks ago hiding in the lower back corner of the fridge, this cabbage and potato stew came about sort of unthinkingly. But, as it turned out quite hearty and tasty, I might as well jot down here for days when I can't think of anything exotic to serve for dinner :)

Anything as simple, yet tasty and wholesome as this, I pass off as "rustic" - just a little marketing ploy - not that a square meal at home needs marketing...

Ingredients:
16-20 baby potatoes
1-2 generous wedges of large green cabbage
1 cup granulated TVP:Textured Vegetable Protein^† (Optional)

for the broth:
6-8 cups vegetable stock (or water)
4 Tbsp coriander powder
2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (or dried rosemary)
2 Tbsp cayenne pepper powder
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp garlic powder
salt to taste
(any other favorite flavoring can be used for the broth)

Preparation

1. Start the broth simmering in a large pot
2. Thoroughly clean the potatoes if leaving the skin on
3. Drop the potatoes in the simmering broth, cover and simmer till potatoes are partially done, then throw in the cabbage
4. Simmer till fork tender, adjust taste
5. To thicken the broth, I simply mushed a few of the potatoes that were cooking in there till desired thickness
6. If preferred, add some TVP:Textured Vegetable Protein for some body and, of course protein (i left it this time)

Chunks of unpretentious rosemary bread dipped in this simple yet wholesome stew was a perfect meal for the cold, wet, windy evening we had a few days ago.

^† For a nutritious and filling meat substitute, sometimes I make Wheat Meat, and run it in a blender to granulate it. This makes a non-soy protein substitute when needed, like in mock ground beef burrito.

Potatoes Lyonnaise

We had a few varieties of potatoes in our garden this year. We picked as many as we needed over the last two months. Now that it is getting quite chilly, we dug up all the remaining potatoes. If left in a cool dark place, these should stay fine and usable for a long time. But, I have a feeling we will probably use it up before Halloween.

Rather than the usual hash browns or potatoes au gratin or roasted potatoes, I decided to make Potatoes Lyonnaise a few days ago - a simple, earthy, wholesome French style potatoes smothered in onion and topped with some herbs.

As I understand it, this dish came about as an easy way of using up cooked potatoes, but later was adapted to become a classic French bistro cuisine. In its simple form, it is sliced potatoes browned in a skillet, intermingled with sweet caramelized onions, with perhaps a touch of parsley and salt. Just a four ingredient dish.

I started out with all sincerity, as this was a simple dish, and decided to serve some home made corn bread muffin for the mid-week dinner. I took the easy way out with corn bread muffin: I used Marie Callender's™ just-add-water, ready-to-bake corn bread mix. It was a weeknight dinner and I wanted something quick :)

The potatoes were par cooking in the microwave, the onions were caramelizing on the stove over medium heat, the cornbread muffin was part-way done in the oven with about another 15 minutes to go, when my little toddler announced that she had to go to the potty.

Now, she is just getting potty trained and I didn't want to ignore it... so, I walked her to the bathroom, turned on the bathroom light, made sure she got her pants and underpants down and out of the way, helped her sit on her little potty, and left her with a few books... forgetting the beautifully caramelizing onions on the stove! So, by the time I got back to them they had turned a little dark at the edges... Oh Well.

Anyway, here is my version of the basic Potatoes Lyonnaise. The classic recipe calls for quite a bit of butter, but, used a combination of olive oil and a touch of butter as I didn't want to slather butter on to potatoes and have it for dinner...

Ingredients
4 medium potatoes, medium-starch variety or even baking potatoes works fine
1 large sweet onion
1 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp Olive oil
salt to taste
water as needed
fresh herbs I used*: rosemary, chives
*grassy green parsley is classic, but, I didn't have any handy; however we have a fairly big rosemary bush and the chives are still doing fine, so, I decided to improvise. Besides, there is something about the combination of rosemary and potatoes that makes it irresistible for me :)

Preparation

1. Onions: Slice the onions thinly, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a pan, add the onions, a pinch of salt, stir to coat and cook for a few minutes, turn heat down to medium, cover, and allow the onions to caramelize, deglazing with water part way as needed
2. Potatoes: While onions are getting ready, skin, clean and slice the potatoes (I used a mandolin slicer), toss them with a hint of oil (or butter), and par cook them for about 3-5 minutes (exact time depends on microwave power settings) till potato slices are mostly opaque and bend little but don't break or remain stiff when bent
3. Remove the caramelized onions from the pan, keep handy; add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp Olive oil to the same pan, when the butter bubbles and subsides, add the par-cooked potatoes, some salt, shake the pan gently to coat with oil and form a single layer, and leave it alone for a few minutes till bottom browns a little, without stirring, on medium-high heat; using a spatula, gently turn the slices over to brown the other side
4. when potatoes are nicely browned on both sides, return the caramelized onions to the pan and heat through; add chopped herbs and pepper if using, taste and adjust salt

It took less than 30 minutes to cook these Potatoes Lyonnaise and the muffins, and that's about the ideal duration in which I prefer to have a weeknight meal ready :)

p.s: adding this to GBP: Summer 2007 event listing as I used garden potatoes.

Poori Masaal

"Poori Potato" is how my dad always refers to this classic breakfast/tiffin dish my mom used to make on and off when I was little. Pooris/Puris are whole wheat bread that are fried, and usually puff up in the process. Typical side dish it is served with where I grew up is a mildly spicy potato dish.

Pooris are usually made with whole wheat flour and are about 3-4 inches in diameter. Sometimes, I serve pooris with a hearty vegetable korma or curry.

Bathuras are made with all-purpose flour and about 6-8 inches in diameter. The mini bathuras, which are usually larger in size and served with Cholay/Chana, work just as well as pooris for a sumptuous weekend brunch.

Ingredients
1½ cups self-rising flour*
OR
1½ cups all-purpose flour + 1½ tsp baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
½ tsp nigella seeds
½ tsp black cumin seeds
salt to taste
canola oil for frying
*(use whole wheat flour, if preferred)

For the potato masaal:
4 medium potatoes, cooked
1 medium onion, finely diced
2-3 green chilies, finely diced
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
cilantro for garnish
Tempering: 1 tsp canola oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds

Preparation:

Poori: combine the flour (baking powder, if using), nigella seeds, cumin seeds, and some salt, add a little buttermilk at a time and knead into a soft yet slightly stiff elastic dough.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan for deep frying.

Potato Masal: Start with the tempering - heat oil in a largish pan, when shimmering, add the mustard seeds, when they pop, add the cumin seeds, then the grated ginger, chilies and onion, plus turmeric powder and sauté till onions turn translucent; add the cooked potatoes, adjust salt to taste, add a little water as needed to adjust the dish to the consistency you like. I don't like it runny...

Divide the dough into one inch diameter balls, and roll them out flat with a rolling pin to about 2 millimeter thick. Deep fry each of these and drain in a paper-towel lined plate.

Serve pooris/mini-bhaturas warm with potato masal garnished with cilantro.

potato "fingerling" gnocchi in cabbage sauce

The Other Half has imposed a ban (read: requested a temporary hold) on desserts, sweets, and fried foods. Not that I make desserts and fried foods often anyway.

Fortunately, I'd like to believe that my recipes are usually hearty, predominantly vegetarian, mostly balanced and nutritious, and typically low-fat. I don't think I can go fat free in the near future... anyway, so, this ban is not quite the bummer, really; I simply continue to cook what I normally cook and everybody is happy.

This potato "fingerlings" in cabbage sauce recipe is inspired by a Bavarian dish I recently sampled during my vacation, and quite surprisingly approximated the taste, even though I don't quite know what the chef put in his original recipe.

Very simple and wholesome dish, easy to prepare: the potato "fingerlings" are not really the heirloom fingerling potatoes but just an adaptation of potato gnocchi, made without eggs.

Gnocchis are fun to do, but the trick is to make sure the dough has just enough flour or the whole thing will either disintegrate in the boiling water, or get pasty and gummy, or even end up like lead shots. Unfortunately I got carried away and didn't measure closely for this recipe (so what's new, right?), but, as a rule of thumb, I use about 1:3 for flour:riced-potato, by volume. The potatoes have to be flaky and dry, not moist and mushy; putting them through a grater or ricer after they are steamed is better than trying to beat/mash them for this recipe.

Ingredients
for gnocchi:
2 potatoes,starchy kind (I use the Idaho or Russet)
about 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (maybe less)
salt
water as needed

for the cabbage sauce:
3 cups finely minced green cabbage
1 cup 2% milk
1 Tbsp canola oil
salt
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried oregano
water as needed

Preparation

start heating a pot of salted water to boil the gnocchis in

steam the potatoes with the skin on, taking care not to overcook and turn them mushy; on a work surface, put the potatoes through a ricer or grate them when still hot (discard skin)

fan out the riced potatoes, season with some salt and pepper, and gradually knead in the flour; just add a little flour at a time, incorporate it well till the dough is no longer sticky and can be shaped

shape the dough into a long rope, about 3/4 to 1 inch thick, and then cut them to even-sized "fingerlings"; i went with fairly big fingerling potato size, but smaller the better as it cooks faster and more evenly

drop the shaped gnocchis into the salted boiling water in small batches; they will drop to the bottom and then rise to the top; fish them out when they rise to the top and keep them handy

cabbage sauce: heat the oil in a sauce pot, sauté the cabbage, season with salt, pepper, marjoram and oregano (or any other herbs/spices), add the water and milk and cook till cabbage is well done; adjust flavors; add more water if the sauce is too dry; this is a fairly thick sauce

warm up your favorite meatless sausage**, or Wiener Würstchen or Frankfurter Würstchen and serve them on the side, or garnished as in the photo.

**home-made wheat-meat sausage or bean sausage would be good too

Swiss Rösti

Kartoffeln (Potatoes) was a common theme for me during my recent vacation while eating out, and the non-vegetarian ones I daringly tried were Huhnbrust (Hen breast), Perlhuhnbrust (Guinea fowl breast) and Lachs-Fisch (Salmon).

Fondue usually springs to mind when thinking about Swiss food, but, I was hooked on Rösti during my brief vacation in Switzerland.

As D jokes, Swiss Rösti is almost a glorified hashbrown dish, served with seasonal vegetables and eggs on the side.

Recipe is fairly simple, I have of course modified it a bit to cut down on fat. The authentic recipe uses a ton of butter apparently...

Procedure is simple: grate the potatoes and cook them (or, cook them and then grate them); heat some oil in a pan, add the grated potatoes, press down, season with salt and pepper, cook till it browns on the underside; use a plate to flip it and cook the other side if desired; serve hot with roasted vegetables and eggs.

potato leek soup

In its simple and earthy form, I had this soup for the first time when my fellow resident and room-mate at the International House made it for our dinner one night. I loved it right away and still love it, although over the years, I have added some of my personal touches to this very hearty and basic recipe.

I like the simplicity - just three basic ingredients, plus some flavoring - brings about a comforting and filling meal, especially on cold winter nights.

As it is easy to throw together, I like to make a small batch fresh - the cheese doesn't do well on refrigerating and reheating. I've tried with and without sharp aged cheddar, and with other cheeses, but, prefer the strong flavor cheddar imparts.

Ingredients
1-2 medium potato, peeled
1 leek
a small hunk of cheddar, grated (limit the amount to taste)
1 Tbsp madras curry powder
1 Tbsp Tabasco® sauce
1 Tbsp black pepper powder
salt to taste
1 Tbsp hazelnut oil (or canola oil)



Preparation

remove about an inch from root end, and clean the leeks - there is usually a bit of dirt hiding between the layers; then chop finely

heat oil in pressure cooker, sauté the chopped leeks, reserve some for garnish, and pressure cook the potatoes and rest of the leeks with a bit of salt till mushy

mash the pressure cooked potatoes and leeks, stir in the spices and grated cheese and simmer on medium low heat till well-combined

Garnish with reserved sautéed leeks and grated cheddar.

Serve warm with home-made cornbread muffins, or garlic bread, or favorite dinner rolls.