Our Favorite Curried Potatoes
Our friend Sonia told me about these potatoes about a week after we met. She told me it was a simple recipe, but that it was her absolute FAVORITE. The next week, I asked her if she would make it for me. The week after that, I asked if she would SHOW me how to make it and share her recipe. I’m so thankful she agreed because it’s our family’s new favorite too! We eat it at least once a week — and it’s even the lunch Brodie requested on his birthday! Served with fresh roti (Indian whole wheat flat bread) it’s a simple curry with few ingredients and lots of wisdom. Check out why!
I’m not sure about you, but I’ve had recipes that cook with yogurt. Normally, the yogurt splits and separates between the whey and the milk proteins. Personally, I’ve never been a fan and honestly thought that happened no matter what you did to make yogurt hot in a recipe. Until I talked with Sonia about this recipe. She talked with various different chefs, she asked her mother, and other people she knew — “how do you get curd (plain yogurt) to not split when you cook with it?”
No one could tell her. UNTIL she talked with an older Indian Auntie (they’re always the gatekeepers, aren’t they?) who told her the answer. The Auntie told her, “You have to add the salt to the recipe last. Salt makes the curd split, so if you add salt before adding the curd, it will split every time.”
When she told me this, my mind was blown. I couldn’t believe this curry was so stinking simple, and the answer was right there in front of me. Thank you, Sonia for sharing your secrets with me and our family!
Hello, World!
Our Favorite Curried Potatoes
45 minutes - serves 6-8
2 tbs oil
1 tsp cumin seed
1 pinch hing (optional)
2 small onion
8-10 medium potatoes cooked, peeled
2 cups plain yogurt
1 TBS (chickpea) besan flour (or cornstarch)
1.5 tsp turmeric
1 - 2 tsp tsp red pepper (optional)
1 tsp kasoori meethi (fenugreek leaves) crushed in your hand
1.5-2 cups water
Pressure cook the potatoes, whole, in the instant pot or pressure cooker for 12 minutes on high pressure. Once they’re done, quick release the pressure and pull the potatoes out to cool so you can peel them.
Heat oil in a skillet (a kadhai is best) and fry the cumin seeds for 45 seconds - one minute until fragrant. Then add the onions and cook for 5-7 minutes.
Once the potatoes cool, peel and break into bite size pieces with your fingers. Add the yogurt and chickpea flour (or cornstarch) to a blender and blend on high until there are no lumps and the flour is incorporated.
To the onions and cumin seed mixture, add the crushed potatoes & stir. Add the turmeric, fenugreek leaves and red pepper if using and cook for 5-7 minutes.
Slowly pour in the yogurt and flour mixture, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until the mixture comes to a boil (this is very important, don’t leave the mixture or walk away until it boils). Once it boils, then add salt and additional water. We prefer ours a little thicker so we add about 1 - 1.5 cups water.
Simmer for 8-10 minutes and serve with hot rice or fresh roti/chapati.
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