Batate Vaagu 2 ~ Spicy Potato Curry(Without Onion and garlic)

This is a spicy Konkani curry that features in our menu on auspicious days when we don't eat Onion and garlic. It is very easy to prepare with minimum ingredients and yet full of flavour. It has mild sweetness from freshly grated coconut and heat from red chilli powder.
I have already blogged about this curry here. Over time I have modified this recipe and this one is our current favourite with extra tang from tomatoes and a hint of coriander.

Serves: 4
Time to cook: 30-45 mins

Here is what's needed:
3 large Idaho Potatoes
4 medium Roma Tomatoes (finely chopped)
1/4 cup grated coconut (fresh or frozen) at room temperature
1/2 tsp coriander powder
2 -3 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder(Kashmiri chilli powder gives a lovely colour with less heat. Increase or decrease the chilli powder according to your taste)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp Asafoetida(hing)
Salt to taste
2tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
3/4 tsp urad dal
1 sprig curry leaf torn in to bits
Finely chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Procedure:
1) Pressure cook Potatoes for 3 whistles. Let it cool. Peel and chop into bite sized pieces.
2) Heat Oil in a pan. Add in mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add Urad dal and saute until it turns golden brown. Add curry leaf.
3)Throw in the chopped tomatoes and let it cook until mushy. Add the hing powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder. Let it cook for two to three mins. Add in the potatoes. Add salt to taste and mix well until the potatoes are nicely covered with the masala.
4) Turn the flame to medium and add 1/2 cup water. Cover and let it cook. Keep mixing in between to make sure that the curry does not stick to the bottom. When the water evaporates add the grated coconut and saute the curry well for 5 mins. Add in the coriander leaves and give it a quick stir.
Serve hot with Rice and Dal or with phulkas. I have served this with some Rice noodles. (Recipe coming up soon)

Batate Vaagu - Spicy Potato Side dish

Potatoes are all time favourite at our place. We love anything with potatoes in it. Thus over time I have collected a lot of recipes with potatoes. Batate(Potato in Konkani) Vaagu is one such of them that I learnt from my mom. Vaagu in Konkani means Tiger. I do not know why this side dish is called Vaagu. But this is feircely spicy and goes well either with rice or Chapathi. Last night we had Batate Vaagu with white rice and valval. This dish is a combination of flavours that is imparted from the addition of grated Coconut, Tomatoes Tamarind and Chilli powder. Without further explanation here is What's needed:

4 medium sized Potatoes boiled and cubed.

2 medium Tomatoes chopped.

juice of marble sized Tamarind.

1/2 - 1 tbsp Red Chilli powder (adjust as per your spice level tolerance)

1 1/2 tbsp grated Coconut

1 tsp hing(Asafoetida) water or generous pinch of hing powder

Salt to taste

For tempering:

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp urad dal

few curry leaves

To garnish

Finely chopped coriander leaves.

Procedure:

1)Heat oil in a non stick pan. Add mustard when they splutter add Urad dal. Fry until pinkish and add curry leaves.

2) Add tomatoes and cook until mushy. To this add chilli powder, Hing water, Tamarind paste, salt and fry well. Mix in chopped potatoes. Sprinkle some water and fry for some time(around 3-4 mins). Add grated coconut and further fry for 10 mins or until all the water is absorbed and the potatoes along with coconut are roasted well. Garnish with corainder leaves and serve hot with chapathi or rice.