Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Urulai Vadhakkal - Baby Potato - Chettinad Style

I saw this dish at Latha Raja's blog.   With baby potatoes.  I mean you can only think of Alu Dum or a fry, but this one looked a bit different.  I modified it a wee bit, but the star of the recipe is that spice powder.  It is so flavourful.   I plan to make some of that powder and keep it stored in a bottle and try it with other vegetables.  But on the other hand, I think the flavour is most intense only when it is freshly made.....


Ingredients ( for 4) - I made half this recipe

Baby Potatoes - around 15-20
Onions - 2 - slice fine
Tomatoes - 2 nos ( I used purée
Oil - 2 tbsps approx
Ginger - 1" finely chopped
Garlic pods - 3
Red chilie powder - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper corns - 8-10  make a coarse powder
Salt to taste

Spice powder - dry roast and powder
Cinnamon - 1"
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 2-3
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp 
Red chili - 1
Bay leaf - a small bit

Seasoning
Oil
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Boil baby potatoes until just cooked.  Peel
The original recipe said sprinkle some salt, turmeric and chili powder, toss in some oil and spread them on a tray with foil and bake at 200C for 40 mins
However, I put in a tbsp oil in a pan and sautéed them with the above ingredients till they turned nicely brown.
Remove and keep

While the potatoes are getting done, roast the ingredients for spice powder and keep it ready

In a deep pan, heat some oil, sauté half the finely slice onion till they brown and crisp.  Keep aside
And then add the mustard seeds, allow them to splutter, and the curry leaves and dry chili 
And the rest of the sliced onions, ginger garlic.  Sauté till onions are transparent
Add the spice powder and stir for a while
Now add chopped tomatoes or the purée as I did and some salt
Remember the potatoes also have some salt.
Cook till it becomes a mushy paste
Add the potatoes and allow them to be coated with the paste
And lastly the coarse pepper powder.

Mix gently 
Serve on a dish and garnish with the brown crisp onion slices.

The flavour of the spice powder will linger well after the potatoes are gone.
If you do not have baby potatoes use large size but cut them in medium chunks and use. 
Enjoy!



4 comments:

  1. looks very tempting and delicious !

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  2. thank you for trying this out. I intended to make the spice mix too. But as I prefer fresh ground, that even my rasam powder lasts only a week, i think the idea of pounding them fresh is more attractive.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Baby potatoes look yummy and inviting.

    ReplyDelete

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