Aloo kadhai masala – Spicy stir fried baby potatoes

There is something lovely and inviting about the change of season, ending of long hot summers and the subtle beginning of the autumn ❤ A little nip in the early morning, cool morning breeze, soft cool nights. I love autumn 🙂

“No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face.”

[The Autumnal]”
― John Donne, The Complete Poetry and Selected Prose

With this changing season, comes change in our food habits. Markets overflow with new vegetables and fruits and the foodie in me gets excited 😉 😀

I came across season’s first baby potatoes. The vendor was in the process of unpacking them, when i asked for some 😀 So, technically, i was his first customer 😀

While returning home i started thinking which way to cook it…..wanted something spicy and dry 😛 so settled for the stir fry. Once home, i first got about making the ‘kadhai masala‘ to use for the stir fry.

Kadhai = wok, and i used here an iron one.

Here’s what i did………….

INGREDIENTS

250 gms – baby potatoes

1 nos – medium sized onion (finely chopped)

pinch of cumin seeds

pinch of asafoetida

2 tsp – kadhai masala

2 tsp – oil for cooking

salt to taste

For the kadhai masala :

2 tbsp – coriander seeds

3 nos – dried red whole chilies

1 tsp – dried pomegranate seeds

3 nos – star anise

1 tsp – aniseed

1/2 tsp – black peppercorns

1 tsp – cumin seeds

1 tbsp – dried mint leaves

1/4 tsp – black cumin seeds (shah jeera)

1/4 tsp – dried ginger powder

1 tsp – dried mango powder

2 nos – green cardamom

1/4 tsp – nutmeg powder

Dry roast all except mint leaves, dried mango and ginger powder, nutmeg powder and pomegranate seeds. Cool and grind it to coarse powder. Store in an airtight container.

kadhai masala

METHOD

Soak the potatoes in water for 10 mins. Rub them well and wash a few times. Pressure cook them to 1 whistle. Cool and then peel them. Keep aside.

In a iron wok heat 2 tsp oil and temper with cumin seeds and asfoetida. Add the chopped onion and fry till translucent. Add the potatoes and and increase the gas flame. Sprinkle the kadhai masala and salt and keep stirring them. Potatoes will start forming a crispy outer skin. Take it off fire.

Serve hot with rice and lentil gravy or paranthas or pooris.

Happy cooking !! 🙂

Cheers !!! 😀

 

 

 

 

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