Spiced potatoes (aloo chaat)

This North Indian dish is great as a side or vegetarian lunch option. Spiced with chaat masala and served with hari and tamarind chutneys, the Indian grocer will come in handy for ingredients.

• serves

  6

• prep

  35 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 kg kipfler potatoes
• 60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil
• ½ tsp ground chilli
• ½ tsp black salt (see Note) (optional)
• 3 tsp chaat masala (see Note)
• 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
• nylon sev (see Note), to serve

Hari chutney

• 50 g baby spinach
• 1 packed cup roughly chopped coriander
• ½ packed cup roughly chopped mint leaves
• 3 long green chillies
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• 60 ml (¼ cup) lime juice
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 2 tsp finely grated ginger
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Tamarind chutney

• 200 g seedless tamarind (see Note)
• 60 g grated jaggery (see Note)
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 pinch asafetida (see Note) (optional)
• ¼ tsp black salt (optional)
• 1 tsp finely grated ginger
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Tamarind chutney takes 35 mins and will need to be made in advance.

Instructions

To make hari chutney, place spinach in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 30 seconds or until wilted. Drain, squeeze out excess water, then cool. Blend with remaining ingredients to a purée. Season with salt and pepper. Add water for a thinner consistency, if desired. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Stir well before serving. Makes 200 ml.

To make tamarind chutney, roughly break up tamarind in a bowl with your fingers, then pour over 375 ml (1½ cups) boiling water. Using a fork or potato masher, break up tamarind further and set aside for 30 minutes. Then mash further and strain through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing through as much fruit as possible, discarding solids. Gradually whisk in jaggery, tasting as you go, as the sourness of the tamarind can vary. Whisk in remaining ingredients, then season with salt. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan over low–medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until mixture darkens. Cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Makes 400 ml.

Place potatoes in a pan of cold, salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes or until just tender. Drain, then set aside to cool. Peel and discard skins, then cut potatoes into 3 cm pieces.

Place a large frying pan over medium–high heat. Combine oil, chilli, black salt and chaat masala in a large bowl. Toss potatoes in mixture to coat. Fry potatoes, in batches, for 10 minutes or until golden and crisp. Keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remainder.

Meanwhile, combine onion, lemon juice and coriander in a large bowl. Add potatoes and toss well to combine. Place on a platter, scatter with nylon sev and serve with chutneys.

Note
• Black salt is Indian volcanic rock salt that is actually pink–mauve in colour. Its aroma is reminiscent of hard-boiled eggs. It is from Indian food shops and specialist spice shops. Substitute regular salt.

• Chaat masala is a spice mixture available from Indian food shops and specialist spice shops.

• Nylon sev (also known as thin sev or plain sev) is a thin, crisp, chip-like garnish made from chickpea flour, available from selected Indian food shops.

• Seedless tamarind is available from greengrocers.

• Jaggery is a traditional, unrefined cane sugar that is used in both sweet and savoury dishes in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. It is available from selected delis, Indian food shops and specialist spice shops. Substitute palm sugar.

• Asafetida is a spice that is used as a digestive aid. Uncooked, it has a pungent aroma but once cooked, the taste is reminiscent of leek and garlic. It is from Indian food shops and specialist spice shops.

Photography by John Laurie.

As seen in Feast magazine, Sept 2011, Issue 1. For more recipes and articles, pick up a copy of this month's Feast magazine or check out our great subscriptions offers here.

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.