Aloo Methi

It has been more than a year since I updated this blog- that is because it has been that much time since I cooked. Ever since I moved into my new job 18 months ago,  I have been out of time in a good way. I was enjoying the time I spent at work to focus on anything else.

Then, what prompted this sudden cooking endeavour, you may ask... The answer is the simplicity of this dish. My team member brings yummy lunch to office and I took the liberty of finding out from his better half, how she manages to send finger licking food while managing a toddler at home. She laughed and told me , "It is a 5 minute affair". I hardly believed her till I actually tried it. Well, 5 minutes is definitely an exxageration, but then it really took 15 minutes only! Really!

Ingredients:

• Potatoes - 4-5 peeled and cubed (or baby potatoes - 20)
• Kasoori Methi leaves - 2 tbsp (you get the packed ones in Everest, MDH etc)
• Ghee - 1 tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp
• Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
• Chilly Powder -  1 tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing/Perungayam Powder) - 1/2 tsp
• Dry Mango Powder (Amchur Powder) - 3/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Water - 1/2 glass or less

Method

1. Peel and cube potatoes (if you are using baby potatoes, peel and prick them)
2. Heat ghee and oil in a pressure cooker and splutter the Jeera seeds
3. Add the Kasoori Methi leaves and toss them
4. Add the potatoes and the masala powders
5. Sautee them well and sprinkle water just enough to ensure the potatoes do not get burnt (too much of water overcooks them)
6. Put the lid on with the whistle and cook on low flame for one whistle (or till you get the smell of cooked potatoes)
7. Turn of the gas, wait till all the pressure is released from the cooker and open.
8. Dry the water that may be left behind, check for spices and adjust if  needed.

The person who shared the recipe with me asked me to cook in the pressure cooker for one whistle on low flame, but me being the typical, impulsive "I know it all character", I cooked on high for one whistle and then left it on low flame for 8-10 minutes. The result - over cooked potatoes - I was scared of tossing or sauteing them later for fear of mashing the potatoes. So take care of that. Since potatoes cook easily, you first try the one whistle on low flame part and if you feel your potatoes are not cooked well enough, you can always