Saturday, March 15, 2008

Ode to Potato with Til Aloo

So Sia has us blogging about the Potato! What could be easier? Don't we all love this tuber?

The best that happens in an emergency, no vegetable at hand, guests drop in... make a potato bhaji in a jiffy.... or if you just want to increase the volume to accommodate one more guest!

Err... vegetable side dish too salty, add potato!!

Wake up groggy in the morning to put together the husband's lunch box in a haste...

It's raining outside so you are craving for that aloo bhajji and garam chai .

If you are in India and returning from work, tired and irritated and hungry, what better than a vada-pav or a dabeli roti ?

Quick lunch? Pav-bahji ho jaye?

Fasting? Potato chips!

Burger and fries! (I mean Indian burger, potato patty!!)

Aloo ke parathe makkhan pa ke!

Sev-batata puri anyone? Ragda Patties?

So are you guys nodding reading all this? nod-nod..
Drooling Bouncy Smiley


Anyone remember playing 'bhaatukli' as kids? a gang of girls coming together to make lunch? Each bringing one food item... the vegetable would be potato (99.9% of the times)..nod-nod!!!


When I first came to the USA a couple of years ago we had no car to zip out and buy groceries as required, so the first thing I loaded up was potatoes, if nothing, this would come to my rescue anytime. It was the first time in my life that I also came across so many varieties of potato! White, red, Idaho, purple (?) potatoes.. Grabbing one bag of potatoes which looked like the Indian Potato we walked out confused.. purple??? potato??? Jet lag wore off a couple of days ago!! Purple?? Potato??

Huh? 2


Then there was a time, before I started blogging, that I would visit websites, blogs (not knowing the difference between the two.. still don't as a matter of fact.. dhuh!!) and drool at recipes and take print outs like crazy and carefully file them for later. It was possibly then that I printed out the recipe...

That later happened in this post almost after 2 years ( I should be ashamed, 'cep that I am not..)

I honestly have no idea where I got the recipe from, so if it is from one of the blogs do let me know, I can link it. I am keeping the recipe as it is so as the original webmaster/ blogger can alert me.
To me puri-bahji is a classic combo and one that does not fail! so I was in the mood for deep fried food and a side which was not time and energy consuming, so flipping thru that carefully maintained file, I chanced upon the recipe that hit the mark!

You need:

4-5 medium size potatoes

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tbsp beige sesame seeds

1/2 tbsp black sesame seeds ( optional)

1/4 tsp ginger paste

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

lemon juice

1-2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Wash and peel potatoes. Cut into wedges or large cubes and boil them in salted water until tender (they cook faster this way so keep an eye).Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they begin to splutter add cumin and sesame seeds. Add ginger paste, turmeric and red chilli powder and saute for a few minutes (on low heat or the seeds will turn bitter).Add potatoes and season to taste. Stir until they are well coated with spices. Sprinkle lemon juice and serve hot.
Simple and tasty (and not time consuming!!) this was a very satisfying meal. Add to the side a bit of pickle and it tastes even better!

Other Potato / that have potato as a necessary ingredient recipes I have blogged :

Pav Bhaji
Dabeli Roti
Batata Vada
Sabudana Vada
Aloo Tikki Chat
Sabudana Thalipeeth
Potato Dosa
Alu Ki Rasdar Subzi
Alu Paratha
Hara Bhara Kebab

Thank U Sia, for hosting this event and making me go back and look at the recipes I have blogged ! Can hardly wait for the round up to see what other super bloggers churn out!!

That's it for now folks!!!

Weekend 1

Found it!! I mean she found me!!! Errr... what do I mean? Remember, I said I did not know the source of my recipe... well, I found it.. I mean she found me!! it is fom our own Ashwini!! Thank you Ashwini for letting me know!

Pin It

34 comments:

Ashwini said...

Hey Mansi, this sounds like something I posted. You don't have to pubslish this comment, I know how it is when you collect recipes and forget sources.
http://food-forthought.blogspot.com/2006/04/ancient-spice-til-aloo.html

Cheers

Dhivya said...

lovely entry

Unknown said...

Mansi I am hungry reading all the names of the dishes. Love potato dishes in any form. Looks good nice colour too.

musical said...

Excellent idea to use til, Manasi! And what a lovely write-up! He he, yeah-when playing bhaatukli etc, food always had to be starch: be it aloo or bananas :-D. And aloo is like this super-versatile thing that finds use ever so often!

You too have a great weekend.

hugs,
musical.

Trupti said...

love this sabji

Unknown said...

Yes ..Puri and potato are really quick to prepare..And they are a great combo too..

Red Chillies said...

Puri and Potato make a deadly combination. I can so relate to yur episode of differnt types of potatoes. The variety found here are amazing.

Finla said...

Wow that potato dish looks delicious and beautiful colour.
I just had breakfast and loking to the pic i am hungry.
Yeah i too remember the time when we girls cooked in the garden.
We tried to cook our rice in a huge coconut shell you don't want me to tell you he rest do you.
We were really idiots, i mean me and friends and sis

Anonymous said...

fitting ode to the ever popular aloo..... yummy!!

vandana rajesh said...

hi mansi. thanks for visiting my blog. Your tilwale aloo sure looks yumm....

TheCooker said...

Puri-bhaaji chaan distay bara-ka huh!

Cham said...

Poori and potato great combo, love it :)

Rajesh &Shankari said...

Puri and bahji is what I am tryinng to stay away and you are tempting me to make them..I like the idea od sesame seeds in the aloo

EC said...

Tilwale aloo look so tempting and mouth watering

Uma said...

Lovely aloo. looks so yum. Nice entry.

A Cook @ Heart said...

Thank U Ashwini! I have updated my post!

Thank U Divya and Madhu!

Hugs to u too Musi!!

Thank U Trupti, Divya!!!

Thank U Red Chillies, yep, super combo!

Tank U Happy Cook, cooking rice in a coconut shell. I can imagine hahahahhaa!!

Thank U Arundati, Vandana!!

Cooker, yetes na mag jevayla aj?

Thank U Cham!!

Shankari, I hear u on trying to stay away, but sometimes I just give in! Can't help it! :)

Thank U Uma & Easycrafts!!

Raks said...

Thanx for bringing out a nice recipe Manasi! I hav never added til in potato fry!Lovely post!

AnuZi said...

Mansi - Looks delish!! perfect for roundup.

Pooja said...

i thought i left my words here ,couldnt see it anywhere ... :( .
aloo with til looks great... never tried aloo that way. a must try for me , as hubby is potato lover :)) .

Manju said...

perfect comfort food..neday!!

Sagari said...

thats a lovely recipe mansi delecious

Cynthia said...

I love the colour on those potatoes! You make some really tasty food. I should have been living nearby :)

Manasi said...

Hi Raks Kitchen, sesame adds a nice nutty flavor, ry it!

Thank U Anuzi!!

Hi Superchef, Thanx! yes, comfort food indeed!

Hi Sagari, thank u!!

Hi Cynthia, Thank U! coming from u, this is an honour !! Wish u were here!!!

Sia said...

girl, where r u?

Anonymous said...

Hi Manasi,

Thank you for visiting my site. I have already added your plain jane cookies to my list of eggless recipes. Can't wait to try them.

Like everybody we also love potatoes. This recipe looks very simple. Thanks for the recipe.

Anonymous said...

Poori & Bhaji is a very good combination. Nice recipe. Would like to taste it.

KayKat said...

Yum! A classic :) And now, I'd like some please!

Himagauri said...

hi manasi, wassup? been a long since we heard from you.. hope alls well.. take care..

Himagauri said...

hi manasi, wassup? been a long since we heard from you.. hope alls well.. take care..

Anonymous said...

THanks! I'm a huge potato lover, but always am looking for ways to jazz them up with different ideas - you've given me several.

Shubha Ravikoti said...

Nice recipe.... manasi... i tried jeera aloo.. til aloo sound delicious too...:) do check my blog too and give me ur comments :D

Anonymous said...

Namaste,

Please Mera comment delete karo. Mera email id has usme aur bhaut problems hota hai. comment ka date tha may 09 2007. Blog ka title P for Palak Puri

A Cook @ Heart said...

Hi Anonymous.. namaste!
Please go ahead and delete the comment u have posted. I see no problem in that!

luckysanjana said...

was just goin gthrough your blog and found this......something new for me...........never put sesame seeds in temepering before but im game very game..........

Share

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape