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 Pej Upkari

Blogging had taken a backseat last year. I was busy with my course,my little boy and a new place. Hopefully this year I will work on blogging not out of compulsion but because I am proud and much in love with this adorable space of mine. I plan to document a lot of family recipes along with the rugular ones from my kitchen. I wish to get into the world of baking and conquer the yeast monster. I have a packet of yeast that I bought some time ago but I am still not confident of going ahead and using it. This year is going to be different in a lot of terms. I wish to step out of my comfort zone in terms of food and would love to try out a variety of dishes.  Hopefully I will present them here.

This is a simple dish that I first tasted at temple feast. During our annual car festival which lasts 6 days, we have a lot of festivities followed by samaraadhana (naivedyam food served which itself is a feast). This feast starts late in the afternoon and goes on till 7-8 PM.  People sit on floor with a mat/newspaper and the food is served on plantain leaf. hundreds of volunteer gather dressed in traditional attire and serve thousands of devotees. In the mornings before the festivities start pejje jevan where kongee (rice porridge) is served. This is served with simple dishes like this pej upkari or exotic dishes like kadgi chakko( made with unripe green jackfruit) etc on a plantain leaf.  The gathering for the Pejje jevan is less compared to the evening samaraadhana. Thousands of people gather to seek blessings from Lord Venkatramana and partake in the samaraadhana. How I miss those days where you could meet friends and family and have fun! I miss Mangalore ~ a small yet beautiful place.

Coming back to this dish, it has minimum ingredients and yet tastes heavenly. Normally potatoes are not peeled for this dish but I did for the little boy.

Here is whats needed:
2 medium potatoes
a big pinch of hing
2 green chilies slit
salt to taste

Seasoning:
1 tbsp oil (Preferably coconut oil)
5 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal

Procedure:
1) Wash and scrub the potatoes. Chop them into bite sized pieces with the peel on. Add water, green chilies and salt and cook till soft and done
2) Prepare seasoning by heating oil and add mustard seeds when they crackle add urad dal, followed by curry leaves and hing. Pour this seasoning over the potato mixture and serve hot with rice and dalithoy!
Simple as it can get and tastes divine. Simple pleasures