7 potato recipes that'll make you say "Ami tomake aloo-bashi"
Have a spud-tacular cheat day
I am a potato activist. For context, I recently went on a passionate rant, aimed at my roommate’s Bumble date who I’d met three and a half minutes prior, when he casually mentioned that mashed potatoes were overrated. This guy actually thought that tufts of goodness, bathed in butter, and sprinkled with salt are not one of the greatest inventions…umm, potato recipes… to ever exist. Swipe left, and block.
All potato recipes are spud-tacular — French fries, tater tots, jeera aloo, aloo tikki, vada pav, dum aloo, aloo chaat and even the simple aloo beans. And in times like these, when we’re looking for comfort in everything from the books we read to the snacks we devour on loop, aloo is that low-maintenance, dependable friend who shows up to pull you through your existential crisis.
The Greatest Of All Tubers isn’t hesitant to be the silent supporting act to your culinary adventures – think masala dosa, pav bhaji, bread pakoda, paani puri, and basically all the food you’ve ever loved. Potatoes aren’t just a-peeling, they give us lessons in modesty.
Sometimes, I feel my obsession with potato recipes is the result of a conspiracy carefully designed by my family. The first line of the first Hindi nursery rhyme I remember my mother singing to me was “Aaloo kachaloo beta kahan gaye the?” One of the first few names I learnt to say was Ahluwalia – my mother’s maiden name. Coincidence? I think not.
While the Interweb’s health obsession has pushed aloo’s rakhi sister, the sweet potato, into the limelight, my eternal love for aloo has also inspired me to excavate unusual potato recipes that prove aloo is alooways there for you.
It’s also rich in antioxidants, contain a special kind of starch called resistant starch which may help in improving digestive health and it’s naturally gluten-free. So there, sakarandi, you’re not the only healthy potato in town.
Are you ready to repeat “Ami tomake aloo-bashi” ?
7 spud-tacular potato recipes to a-peel to every aloo lover
Having grown up in a Sindhi home, aloo tuk has been a Sunday afternoon staple. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, coated in tangy dry masala – it doesn’t get any better than this.
Ingredients:
3-4 medium potatoes, cut into wedges
Oil for frying
1 tsp Degi red chilli powder
1/2 tsp dried mango powder
1/4 tsp black salt
1/2 tsp coriander powder
Directions:
Deep fry the potato wedges in medium hot oil until soft and light golden.
Remove on an absorbent paper and let them cool a little.
With your palm, lightly press the potato wedges, and flatten them slightly.
Once all done, keep in the fridge for five to ten minutes.
After that, fry them a second time in hot oil until golden brown and crispy.
Remove on an absorbent paper and keep aside for five to six minutes.
Fry it a third time in super hot oil until golden and super crispy.
In a hot pan, add the fried potatoes and all the masalas, and toss it well, making sure that all the potatoes are coated, and sauté for a minute on medium heat.
Remove and serve hot, and garnish with coriander leaves.
Add this to your list of vegan potato recipes. These pancakes are crisp on the outside, and gooey on the inside.
Ingredients:
400 gms potatoes
1 small onion
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
1 tbsp cilantro or chives (optional)
1/5 cup vegetable oil
Sour cream to serve
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tbsp corn flour
Directions:
Using a box grater, grate the potatoes and squeeze them dry using a kitchen towel. Squeeze out as much water as possible.
In a mixing bowl, combine these potatoes with chopped onion, flour, seasonings and mix. You can add in a little bit of milk or if you are keeping it vegan then, any vegan milk is good. Just a couple of tablespoons is enough.
In a skillet heat oil and with a scoop or measuring cup, scoop out one fourth of a cup of the mixture and flatten it uniformly onto the skillet.
Reduce the heat slightly so the potatoes are cooked inside as well.
After two minutes, increase the heat to make them crisp.
One of those potato recipes that is a treat for achaar addicts.
The hero ingredient of this dish is timur – a spice found in Nepal, which has a characteristic kick to it. If you can’t get your hands on timur, swap it with Sichuan pepper.
Ingredients:
700 gms potatoes
1/3 cup white sesame seeds
1/2 cup mustard oil
1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
A pinch of fenugreek seeds (methidana)
1 1/2 tbsp red chilli powder
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp timur (can be substituted with Sichuan pepper)
4 tbsp lemon juice
2/3 cup water
1 tbsp salt
5 green chillies
1/2 cup fresh coriander
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
Directions:
Dry roast sesame seeds till they turn light golden and then let them come to room temperature and grind to make powder.
Boil the potatoes, peel, and cut into medium-sized cubes.
Wash, slit, and chop green chillies into big pieces.
Grind or pound Timur to make a fine powder.
Take a big bowl and add the cubed potatoes, sesame seed powder, green chilies, salt, chilli powder, Timur and mix well.
Heat mustard oil in a pan and add the fenugreek seeds till they turn dark brown, switch off the flame and add asafoetida and ginger, stir for a minute.
Now pour this hot oil over the potato mix and stir properly.
Now add water, lemon juice, and chopped fresh coriander and mix well.
Cover the pan and let it soak all the flavours for half an hour to one hour, then serve as a salad or pickle.
If refrigerated, it stays well for about a month but keep stirring and mixing it every two to three days.
If you are the kind of absurd human, who has leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge (What do you mean you were too full for mashed potatoes, Sheetal?), here’s a fun kitchen experiment.
Just like you thought eating french fries dipped in vanilla ice cream was absurd until you tried it, non-savoury potato recipes make for one such milestone – once you dare to try it, there is no going back.
Ingredients:
½ cup mashed potatoes, plain and unsalted
½ cup salted butter, softened
6 to 7 cups powdered sugar, plus additional for dusting
2 tsp vanilla extract
Creamy peanut butter for filling
Directions:
Combine mashed potatoes, butter, and one cup of sugar in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to stir until combined.
Add remaining sugar, one cup at a time and keep stirring until combined. Once you’ve added six cups of powdered sugar, check the consistency. If the dough is not mouldable in your hands and can’t be rolled into a ball, continue to add sugar until it is firm.
Stir in vanilla extract.
Refrigerate for at least one hour (if you chill longer it may become too firm and will just need to sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes until it is pliable).
Once chilled, divide dough into two pieces and place one piece on a clean surface that you’ve generously dusted with powdered sugar. Dust the surface of the dough with additional sugar, and use a rolling pin to roll dough out into a rectangle about one-fourth of an inch thick. If your dough is too sticky or falling apart, you may need to add more sugar, re-shape it into a ball, and start over.
Once dough has been rolled into a rectangle, evenly spread peanut butter on it, leaving a small amount of space peanut butter-free around the edges.
Starting with the longer side of your rectangle, gently but tightly roll into a log.
Use a knife to slice into pieces about one-fourth to half an inch thick.
Repeat the same with the remaining dough, and serve.
Store leftover candy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Potato pierogi are the door ke rishtedaar of our beloved momos. Assembling the dumpling can be challenging for beginners, and you might need some practice to perfect it.
But well, on the up side, food tastes so much better if you’re knackered.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups flour
2 eggs
3 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp salt
Cold milk, if needed
2 cups mashed potatoes
3 tbsp scallions, sliced
1 cup cheese blend, shredded
Directions:
Combine flour and salt together, add eggs and sour cream and stir to combine. The dough should be nice and soft. Add more milk if needed.
Cover the dough with plastic and set aside for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile make a simple potato filling by combining mashed potatoes with scallions and cheese.
Roll out the rested dough and cut out circles using a drinking glass or a pastry cutter.
Place some filling in the middle, brush the edges with a little bit of water and form a half-moon shaped pierogi. Secure by pressing the fork down on edges.
Boil a large pot of salted water, put pierogi in and cook until floats. Remove into a pan with some oil or butter in it. Cook until golden and serve with some sour cream.
Take your favourite Indian dessert, but make it aloo. This could easily fall under the list of absurd potato recipes, but wait till the ghee melts in your mouth.
The fragrance will teleport you to winter vacations spent at nani’s home, and the taste will leave you feeling oh-so-satisfied, and all set for a nap.
Ingredients:
3 large potatoes, boiled
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tbsp cashews, chopped and lightly roasted
1/4 tbsp almonds, flaked or chopped
A pinch of cardamom powder
1/2 tbsp raisins
Directions:
Boil the potatoes and peel off the skin. The, mash it with your hands.
In a pan, pour some ghee and let it heat. Then add the mashed potatoes and let it roast for 1-2 minutes
Add milk, sugar and raisins to the potatoes and mix them well.
Cook for another eight to 10 minutes, and stir frequently.
Add cardamom and stir.
Garnish with flaked almonds and cashews. Serve hot.