CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF DR KAVIRAJ KHIALANI
Potatoes the word itself appeases the palates of many of us and that imaginary vision of our favorite french fries, spiced potato wedges, fillings for veg Frankie, in our Street Side Chaats, and aloo ki subzi, the aloo ke paratha and the likes just entice our taste buds and we want to indulge into it whole heartedly!
Yes, it is one of the most commonly used vegetable and a must have in almost all our kitchens, to the extent people also feel satisfied if nothing else but potatoes are available on the kitchen shelf the ideas just keep pouring in on what new to try with the humble root veggie which is one of our true friends in the kitchen and helps us in so many ways.
Potatoes have been consumed by us in almost all the courses except the desserts from the super hit globally famous vada pao to the aloo bhajiyas, the pao bhaji and the potato bhaji in the masala dosa it has found its well-deserved place in so many forms. While most of us use them without the peel or skin it is adviced to use it with the skin for more nutritional benefits, ensure you scrub them with a little salt, rinse them well and then use it. The baby potatoes too are a great variety to try sometimes in snacky preparations or dum aloo!
Here are a few Easy and Tasty Recipes with Potatoes!
ALOO MA- MA -MIA
Ingredients
Potatoes- 200gms
Oil- 2 tbsp.
Salt and pepper to taste
Soy sauce- 2 tsp
Red chili sauce-2 tsp
Garlic- 1 tsp chop
Spring onions-2 tbsp. chop
Ginger- 2 tsp chop
Slit green chilies- 2 no.
Honey- 1 tsp
White vinegar-1 tsp
Tomato ketchup-1 tbsp.
Chili flakes- 2 tsp
Chat masala- ½ tsp
Spring onion greens- 2 tbsp. chop
Water- ¼ cup
Corn flour water solution-2 tbsp.
White sesame seeds- 1 tsp.
Method
- Clean, scrub, rinse and cut the potatoes into wedges or cubes.
- Par boil them until ¾ done and keep dry, sometimes we deep fry them as well to a light golden color.
- To cook the recipe further, heat oil in a pan, add in the ginger-garlic- chilies, onions and saute them for 1 min.
- Add a little water and all the sauces, salt, pepper and mix well bring to a boil cook for 2 mins, add vinegar/white wine if desired, honey and chili flakes and a dash of chaat masala as well.
- Add in the corn flour solution, and finally toss in the cooked potatoes, cook for 2 mins and serve hot with schezuan sauce, garnish it with greens and toasted white sesame seeds.
METHIWALE ALOO BEMISAAL
Ingredients
Potatoes- 200 gms. scrub, rinse, cut into cubes.
Oil/ghee- 2 tsp
Hing-1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds- ½ tsp
Fennel seeds/saunf-1/2 tsp
Green chilies- 2 tsp chopped
Ginger- 1 tsp chop
Onions- 1 small chop
Tomatoes-1 medium sized chop
Salt to taste
Fresh methi- 2 cups roughly cut
Fresh dill leaves/ sua bhaji- ¼ cup cut
Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
Dhaniya powder-1 tsp
Jeera powder- ½ tsp
Aamchur powder-1/2 tsp
Garam masala- ½ tsp
Water- ½ cup
Method
- Arrange all the ingredients for the recipe.
- Heat oil/ghee in a pan, add in the ingredients one by one and saute them for couple of minutes.
- Once onion and tomatoes are slightly soft add in the potato cubes, salt and all powdered spices, mix well and cover and cook for 4-5 mins on low flame add a little water.
- Open the lid now and add the fresh methi and sua bhaji and continue to cook it for another 4- 6 mins until potatoes are well cooked.
- Finally add aamchur and garam masala powder and a splash of lime juice and serve it with hot rotis, phulkas and a bowl of curd or raita.
LASOONI ALOO TAK-A-TAK
Ingredients
Potatoes- 250 gms- small sized one would be preferred.
Oil/butter- 2 tsp
Garlic- 2 tsp chop or 6- 8 cloves of peeled garlic
Onions- 2 tbsp. chop
Ginger-1 tsp chop
Slit red chilies- 2 no
Tomato ketchup- 2 tsp
Schezuan sauce- 2 tsp
White vinegar- 1 tsp
Pinch of sugar
Salt and crushed black pepper
Water- ½ cup
Cubes of green/yellow/red capsicums-1/2 cup for color and crunch.
Spring onion greens- 2 tbsp. chop for garnish.
Lime juice- 2 tsp just before serving
Method
- Wash the baby potatoes well, scrub well with a little salt and rinse them well and then boil them/deep fry them/bake them in an oven until almost cooked.
- Heat oil/butter in a pan, saute the ginger, garlic can be used full as peeled cloves and can be browned to give a nice bunt garlic flavor in the dish, chilies and onions well for a minute.
- Add in the potatoes and saute them well add in salt and pepper, sugar and little water and allow to cook for 3-4 mins.
- Now add in all the sauces to taste and the cubes of capsicums to the pan and let the potatoes cook with them on a low flame covered for 3-4 mins.
- Once it is all well coated check for seasonings and adjust accordingly, serve hot garnished with greens, dash of fresh lime juice.
KAJU AUR ALOO WALI CURRY
Ingredients
Potatoes- 200gms cut into cubes.
Oil/ghee- 2 tsp
Hing- ¼ tsp
Curry leaves-8-10 no
Red chilies- 2 no slit
Green chilies- 2 no slit
Ginger-garlic paste- 1tsp
Onion paste- ½ cup
Tomato puree-1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Garam masala powder-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder-1 tsp
Water-1 cup
Coconut milk- 2 cups
Cashew paste-1 tbsp.
Fried cashews-2 tbsp.
Kasuri methi- 1 tsp
Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped for garnish.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the recipe.
- Heat oil/ghee in a pan add in the tempering ingredients one by one allow to splutter for a few seconds, add in the onion paste, ginger –garlic paste and cook on a medium flame for 4-5 mins, add water gradually.
- Add in the tomato puree, potato cubes, kasuri methi and all the powdered spices and mix well for 1 min, add in water to cook the potatoes cover and simmer for 6- 8 mins.
- Now add in the cashew paste, coconut milk –thick one ideally and mix well, simmer for 6- 8 mins.
- Finally check for texture, seasonings and add in the fried cashews and coriander leaves for garnish, dash of lime juice before serving, goes well with hot parathas or boiled rice.
Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on ColorsTV and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.
He can be contacted at twitter: @kaviraj_chef, Mobile: 91 9820939336.
