Potato with bamboo shoots and black-eyed beans (aaloo tama)

This is a popular Nepali dish in which the sourness of the bamboo is very important. Black eyed beans are also featured, resulting in a hearty home-cooked meal for the family.

This is a popular Nepali dish. Credit: Alan Benson

• serves

  2

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• ½ cup (95 g) dried black-eyed beans
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ onion, sliced
• ½ tsp finely grated ginger
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• 2 potatoes (300 g), peeled and diced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp chilli flakes
• salt, to taste
• 50 g sliced bamboo shoots
• chopped coriander, to garnish

The following recipe has been tested and edited by SBS Food and may differ slightly from the podcast.

Soaking time overnight

You'll need to begin this recipe 1 day ahead

Instructions

Soak black-eyed beans overnight. Drain the water when ready to cook.

Pour oil into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, fry the onion, ginger and garlic until golden. Add the potato and soaked beans to the pan and fry for few minutes, stirring regularly, then add the cumin, ground coriander, chilli and salt. Once you smell the spicy aroma (1-2 minutes), add 1 litre (4 cups) boiling water and simmer until the potatoes and beans are tender.

Add bamboo shoots and simmer until warmed through. If using fresh bamboo shoots, simmer until tender. Garnish with coriander and serve.

Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Michelle Noerianto. Food preparation by Nick Banbury.

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.