Spicy Baby Potatoes

In T.N baby potatoes are available almost year round while I still wonder to have never stumbled upon these cuties in my native place.

The magic of these spiced up potaoes is that, this goes well with almost all main dishes; be them Chappathis, Plain rice with Sambhar, Dhal, Theiyal or any kuzhambu or even with plain Curd rice..

The “hit-dish” in my family is named as Kutty Urulai Kara Curry , somewhere between a dry and a semi dry one.

Today I served this as an added dry side dish for peas pulao and cauliflower gravy.

Sia, here’s my Ode to Potato. It's already raining pototoes in the blogosphere for you and this is just a droplet!!!..

And before I get in to the recipe, I would like to sincerely thank Chithra for honouring me with the Excellent Award for this blog...very sweet of you, dear :)...

... now, back to the recipe..

You need:
Baby potatoes –1/4 kg
Oil-2 tbsps
Mustard seeds and urad dal-to temper
Big onions-diced to small pieces-1/2-3/4 cup
Garlic- minced fine-1/2 tsp(optional)
Sambhar powder-a spoonful and a half
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Water-2 tbsps
Salt-to taste
Curry leaves –A sprig

Method:
1. Wash the potatoes.Pressure cook till 2-3 whistles.Peel when cooled down and transfer to a broad bowl.Let the potatoes be rightly cooked not too hard, not too soft.

2. Add the powders(sambhar, turmeric and salt) sprinkle water.Mix well to get the powders coated to the potatoes.Marinate for at least half an hour.

3. Heat oil in a wide non-stick Kadai.Splutter mustards,brown the urad dal,fry the onions and garlic till transparent.

4. Throw in the curry leaves and add the marinated potatoes.Mix well.Keep the flame to medium.Spinkle more water if necessary.When the curry gets really hot, lower the flame.

5. Cook open without a lid.When the water gets absorbed mix well.Check salt and let it get toasted for about 15-20 minutes.

6. Remove from fire when the spices are all coated well the potatoes acquire a deep brown colour with that toasted spicy finish. Serve hot.

The same dish with diced 'regular' potatoes and less onions. Served with steamed white rice, sambhar and rasam..

Substitutions:
1. Regular potatoes can also be used to make this dish. Pressure cook them with skin sliced to big chunks, peel off the skin once cooked and cooled and dice them to bite sized pieces and follow the above methods of preparation.

2. Instead of Sambhar powder you can use a mixture of ¾ tsp coriander powder + ¼ tsp jeera powder + 1/2 tsp chilly power. But sambhar powder gives the best balanced taste.

3. Play along with powders like curry masala, garam masala or a combo to get a varied taste preferably for Chapathis, Rotis, Pulao etc.