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May 12, 2008

Aloo Ki Subji



My cookbooks form a big part of what I'd consider my most prized possessions. And I have talked earlier about the lady I think of as my foster mother. My interest in cooking was shaped almost as much by her as it was by my own mother. Today, her cookbooks are far easier to use and the recipes seem uncomplicated. I don't know if the books have changed or I have.



When a recipe appears to be simple, I am tempted to try it. I also like using a variety of ingredients in my cooking so that the taste seems different each time. While earlier, I'd cook a certain vegetable a certain way, now I am more than willing to check out new methods. Potatoes are not a regular feature in my kitchen. Incidentally, the day we happen to make potatoes is the day my mother in law will specifically ask S what we ate. As soon he tells her, I'll get a lecture on how we should cut down on potatoes. To her, it is almost as though we eat only potatoes everyday. Irony!



I made this dish a few weeks ago. It is adapted from Tarla Dalal's Rajasthani Cookbook. I sometimes wonder if I might actually buy a book on Saraswat Cooking if she authored it. There is a certain amount of faith I place in her recipes and that faith has been built over years. Again, I modified the recipe to suit my bland palate and I was not disappointed. The dish turned out to be so like the one in the picture that I couldn't resist clicking the two together.






4 Potatoes, boiled, peeled and cut into wedges

1 cup Curds, beaten

1 tsp Bengal Gram Flour

1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

1 tsp Fennel Seeds

1/2 tsp Nigella Seeds

1 Bay Leaf

2 Cloves

2" Stick Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

1 tsp Cumin Powder

1 tsp Coriander Powder

1 tsp Chilli Powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

Coriander Leaves for garnish



Whisk the curds with the gram flour, chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder.


Heat the oil and add the mustard, cumin, fennel and nigella seeds along with the asafoetida. When the mustard seeds crackle, add the bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon and fry for a minute. Add the curd mixture and bring to a boil over a low flame. Add the potatoes and salt. Bring the entire mixture to a boil. Garnish with coriander leaves.


This wonderful recipe adapted from my "foster mother's" cookbook on Mother's day is off to Padmaja at Spicy Andhra as my third entry to the RCI Rajasthan - Flavours of the Desert event. Paddu, I hope there are no limits to the number of entries. Happy Mother's Day All.

17 comments:

Ranjani said...

Wow you're curry is dead on with the picture on the book!

Nupur said...

Hey Raaga, that really is very startling! The curry and the cookbook pic are totally similar. And both look delicious :)

Anonymous said...

Today I did not have anything in the dinner , and when I opened your blog . The first thing I did was I made a aloo ka sandwich and tea.

Shilpa said...

Wow...the curry looks great. I have never used Nigella seeds. Looks very tasty.

Unknown said...

Third entry thats great..potato looks yummy..

Bong Mom said...

That looks like a delicious one, and with a hoard of spices too

Red Chillies said...

Raaga, the curry looks yummy. Hey, just wanted to tell you that I made your masala buns and they turned out awesome. Thanks for the superb recipe.

sra said...

Hey, I have the same set of crockery!

Anonymous said...

ease is the first thing i look for in a recipe that i want to try...this looks so simple not to mention delish!! and yes...the pic is exactly like the one on the book's cover!!

Swati Raman Garg said...

so cool ... both of them look so similar... sahi hai ....

FH said...

Me too! I have 3 book shelves full of cookbooks from every country!! My family thinks I am crazy!!:D
Aloo subzi looks great, she is fab at Gujarati cooking, don't know about otheres though. But she is definitely one of the best around!:)

Arundathi said...

Hey the pictures are amazingly alike. I love it when the recipe turns out like that!

ranji said...

3rd entry!!!wow!!thats really great...i am still searching for the 1 recipe for the event:)..this looks great

Anonymous said...

Sounds very interesting, thanks!

Namratha said...

Nice way to use Potatoes, it looks good Raaga.

Shweta said...

Thats a gorgeous picture :) Its unbelievable how similar the sabzis look! This is on my to-make list now!

Anonymous said...

mmmm i love aloos! This one looks fantastic!