Aaloo Bharta & Pudina Aaloo

"What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow."
~A A Milne


I know that I love potatoes, made any way, and that I am a decent sort of person! Just this morning I said to my son:
"I doubt if there's any inhabited place on earth where potatoes aren't available!"
"Easter Island!?" he said doubtfully.
Well, if I go to Easter Island, I'm definitely not staying long. So, potato is what's on the table in this post today. Two extremely simple dishes with basic ingredients. They are both versatile dishes and can play 'main dish' roles or side dishes with equal elan.


Please look for Chef On The Run, my page on facebook, for the photos.


Ingredients for Aaloo Bharta

Potatoes..........................................abt 3-4 medium or as required
Onion..............................................abt 4-5 tbsps chopped
Spring onion (with greens).............1, if using a larger bulb, 2 if using smaller bulbs, chop white
                                                        separate and green parts separate
Tomato............................................1 large, preferably peeled and chopped fine
Cumin seeds...................................1/2 tsp
Red chilli pwdr...............................optional, acc to taste
Green chilli....................................acc to taste, de-seeded and chopped fine
Green coriander leaves.................a handful, chopped
Extra Virgin olive oil....................3 tbps or more
Salt
The quantity of each ingredient will vary according to the amount of potatoes used.




Boil, peel and mash the potatoes coarsely.
Heat oil in a pan, and add the cumin seeds. When these turn brown and release their wonderful aroma, add the chopped onions.
As soon as the onions begin to brown, put in the white part of the spring onion. Give it a good stir.
Now add the green part and the chopped tomato. Mix well. ( If you opt for red chilli add that now)Cover the pan and cook on low until the tomatoes soften.
Add the mashed potato to this mix. Turn it around to meld with the onion-tomato mixture.
Add salt according to taste. Allow the potatoes to cook for a bit, until you find it beginning to brown at the bottom of the pan.
Put in the chopped coriander and green chillies. Mix well into the potatoes.
Remove from stove.


Serve with parathas, green chutney, pickle and boondi raita.

Ingredients for Pudina Aaloo

Potatoes.......................................acc to requirement
Cumin seeds................................1/2 - 1 tsp depending on amount of potatoes
Green chilli.................................this takes a bit of heat so go acc to your threshold of heat
Fresh mint leaves........................a big handful, more or less acc to potatoes used
Green coriander.........................1/4 the quantity of mint leaves.
Onion (optional).........................1, chopped small
Extra Virgin olive oil..................3-4 tbsps, more or less acc to potatoes used
Salt


Peel the potatoes and dice it into small cubes. Put them in water to prevent discolouration.
Use only the leaves of the mint, no stems or stalks. Wash well and chop the leaves.
Wash and chop the coriander.
De-seed the green chillies and chop fine.
Heat oil in a kadhai/wok. Drop in the cumin seeds.
If you opt for onions, add the chopped onions when the cumin seeds turn light brown and start to release their aroma. When the onions go from translucent to opaque, and wilt before browning add the diced potatoes.
If you aren't using onions, add the diced potatoes when the cumin seeds turn light brown.
Stir the potatoes into the oil. Cover the pan, reduce heat and allow to cook. Keep checking and stirring the vegetable from time to time, taking care not to break up the potatoes.
When the potatoes are cooked through drop in the chopped green chillies and coriander and mint leaves. Give them a stir to blend into the potatoes. Do not cook.
Remove from stove.
Serve with lachha parathas, dahi bara, and mango chutney.




Glossary:
Raita........................yoghurt mixed with anything: chopped onions, tomatoes, or boiled potatoes or boondi etc. and added salt, sugar, red chilli, roasted cumin powder, black salt, pepper...anything individually or in combinations according to taste.
Dahi bara................fried dumplings made of urad dal (white lentils) soaked in warm water, and then put into whipped thick yoghurt.
Parathas..................Indian flat bread, made of wholewheat flour.
Lachha parathas.....a paratha with layers.




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