Devilled potatoes (ala thel dala)

• serves

  6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 6 (1.2 kg) large potatoes, peeled, cut into 3 cm cubes
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) vegetable oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 long green chilli, thinly sliced
• 15 curry leaves (see king prawn rougaille recipe note)
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp Maldive fish (see note)
• 3 tsp dried chilli flakes
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tomato, finely chopped

Instructions

Cook potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 10 minutes until almost cooked. Drain. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large, heavy-based pan over high heat. Add onion, chilli, curry leaves and mustard seeds, and stir for 2 minutes or until onion starts to soften slightly. Reduce heat to medium, then add garlic, Maldive fish, chilli flakes and turmeric, stirring to combine. Add tomato, season generously with salt, then cook for 2 minutes or until tomato begins to break down. Increase heat to high, add potatoes and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until potatoes are cooked and coated in spices; add a little water if the mixture becomes too dry. Serve.

Note

• Maldive fish are dried fish flakes, available from Sri Lankan and select Indian food shops. Grind bigger pieces with a mortar and pestle.

Photography Brett Stevens

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.