A flexible potato dish that comes collectively in minutes and might be eaten by itself, paired with different greens and even stuffed inside dosas.
Batata shaak – or rai no papeto because it’s recognized in my home – is on our common menu rotation. Rising up, my household (with the honourable exception of my extra wise mum) actually believed that consuming potatoes meant that we’d had our 5+ for the day.
The potato is thought by many names in India. Some communities name it batata and you could have additionally heard of aloo; us Parsis name it papeto.
Identify apart, this straightforward batata shaak is a one-pot dish that comes collectively in underneath 20 minutes and is ideal for the workplace or college lunchbox. Its magnificence is in its versatility. You’ll be able to eat it as is with some scorching roti, stuff it into dosas or sandwiches, or use it as a tasty base to sneak in different greens. Upon getting the bottom prepared you would add peas to make aloo matar or cauliflower to make a easy aloo gobi; stir-fry it with cabbage to make cabbage nu shaak; or, the Parsi favorite, break in an egg to make papeta per eedu.
With this dish, the world is your batata.
BATATA SHAAK
Serves 4
- 4-6 giant potatoes
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1.5 tsp black mustard seeds
- 10 – 20 curry leaves
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to style
- Handful of chopped coriander
Non-obligatory extras
- 2 inexperienced chillies, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp amchur dry mango powder
- Pinch of grated ginger or ginger paste
- Squeeze of lemon juice
Wash the potatoes and peel them in order for you. Reduce them into small cubes and hold them in a mixing bowl crammed with water in order that they don’t begin browning.
In a big saucepan (large enough to carry your potatoes and offer you area to stir), add 2 tablespoons of the ghee and permit it to warmth up.
When the ghee is scorching, add in fast succession the mustard seeds, inexperienced chillies after which the curry leaves. Cautious – the tadka (spice-infused oil) will splutter and protest because the curry leaves go in. As soon as the leaves flip crispy, flip the warmth down and add your potatoes.
Sprinkle within the turmeric powder, amchur powder and ginger in the event you’re utilizing them, and the salt. Combine totally.
Add about 1/4 cup of water to make sure your potatoes don’t persist with the underside of the pan. Cowl the pan, decrease your flame and permit the potatoes to prepare dinner for about 13-Quarter-hour, giving them a stir once in a while. Prepare dinner the potatoes to your liking – I want them simply cooked moderately than mushy.
When the potatoes are gentle, your batata shaak is prepared. Combine within the remaining tablespoon of ghee, squeeze over some lemon juice and sprinkle on contemporary coriander, and provides it a remaining combine.
Serve the potatoes with gentle, contemporary rotis.
Suggestions and variations
- For those who needed to create cabbage shaak, you’d add in about 1/4 head of a grated inexperienced cabbage when the potatoes had been half cooked.
- To make aloo gobi, observe the identical steps however add some small chunks of cauliflower to the oil together with the potato.
- And, in the event you’re eager to strive a papeta per eedu, layer a small quantity of the cooked potatoes in a smaller saucepan. Make a number of holes and break in 3 eggs. Consider it as a tastier potato frittata!
