44 The Times Magazine
JEERA ALOO
(POTATOES)
Serves 4
Jeera aloo is one of the most popular Indian dishes. It’s vegan and easy
to make using a handful of basic ingredients.- 500g potatoes • 2 tbsp rapeseed oil • 1 tbsp cumin seeds • 2 green
chillies, finely chopped • 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger • ½ tsp ground
turmeric • 1 tbsp ground coriander • ¼ tsp red chilli powder, or to
taste • Generous pinch of asafoetida • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander - Salt, to taste • 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, making sure
they don’t overcook or break up. Once drained and cooled, peel the
potatoes and cut them into cubes. Set aside. - Heat the oil in a pan on a medium heat, then add the cumin seeds
and let them sizzle. Immediately lower the heat so that they don’t burn.
Add the chopped green chillies and ginger, ground spices and
asafoetida, and sauté for a few seconds. - Add the boiled potatoes to the pan and toss with the spices. Let the
potatoes cook for 2-3 minutes on a medium heat, then mix in the
coriander. Check the seasoning and add the lemon juice to finish.
TAREKO ALOO
(CRISPY FRIED POTATOES)
Serves 4
I love this dish, which I learnt to make in Nepal. Nepali cuisine is
robust and flavourful, a blend of Indian and Tibetan influences.- 2 tsp mustard oil • 1 whole dried red chilli • ¼ tsp carom (ajwain)
seeds • 2 garlic cloves, chopped • 1 onion, sliced • 1 tomato, deseeded,
chopped • ¼ tsp ground turmeric • ½ tsp ground cinnamon • ½ tsp
ground cumin • 750g fried potato slices (see below) • 2 tsp lemon
juice • Salt and pepper, to taste • 1 spring onion, chopped
- Heat the oil in a pan, then add the dried whole chilli, carom seeds
and garlic. Add the sliced onions and tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes. - Stir in the ground spices. Add the fried potato slices and lemon juice
and cook for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and
scatter over the chopped spring onion.
To make fried potatoes
Peel the potatoes, parboil for 5 minutes and drain. Slice into wedges
about ¼cm thick and, in batches, deep-fry them in oil at 160C until
brown and crispy.1 2
RECIPES
Rohit Ghai
PHOTOGRAPHS
Maya Smend