Spicy Potatoes

At this time of the year when the weather decides to play nice and the sun gets their hat on we all don on our shorts and flip flops and get out into the great outdoors. All around us the barbecue's are dusted off and fired up for the summer especially the schools are about to finish for their summer break. .   Funnily enough a barbecue is the one thing we have never owned but whenever I visit my son and his little family he will fire up the barbecue finds his inner chef and cooks the most delicious food, obviously I taught him all he knows.    I would be totally useless and wouldn't know where to start when it comes to a barbecue so I leave that to him but I do like to feel I can do something to help pull the meal together, as all us mum's do. Now with an hour and half drive to their house there is not a lot I can prepare and take with me in this heat but one thing I can make is my spicy potatoes as they are a great side dish and there's very little they don't go with and I usually make a big enough batch that they can then freeze some for another time or if they have friends over.  

It is our little grandson's first birthday in a couple of weeks and they are having a bit of a get together with family one of those where everyone will bring a dish and this is what has been requested for me to take, which will be great for me as I can either make it the night before or first thing in the morning before we leave as they are lovely both hot and cold.  Like all these occasions you inevitably end up with far too much food so whatever is left over they can freeze for another time.  

If you would like to have a go you will need to add the following to your shopping list if you don't already have it in your store cupboard. 

3 tbsp vegetable oil

½  tsp white cumin seeds

3 curry leaves

1  tsp crushed dried red chillies

½ tsp fennel seeds

½ tsp mixed onion seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds

3 garlic cloves roughly chopped

½ tsp grated fresh root ginger

2 onions sliced

6 new potatoes cut into ¼ inch slices.

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1 fresh red chilli, seeded and sliced

1 fresh green chilli, seeded and sliced.

This amount of potatoes will normally feed 3-4 people I have been known to double up on the potatoes without having to increase on the amount of onions and other spices but if you were going to make a large batch to freeze then you would have to increase the amount of onions and spices by as much again and this would easily cover two reasonable size bags of new potatoes. 

    All you need to do now is to  heat the oil in a wok, karahi or large pan. Lower the heat slightly and add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, dried chillies, mixed onion, mustard and fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, chopped garlic and grated ginger.

      Fry for about 1 minute, then add the sliced onions and fry gently for a further 5 minutes or until the onions are just turning translucent. Add the sliced potatoes, fresh coriander and red and green chillies and mix together well. Cover the pan tightly with a lid or foil making sure the foil does not touch the food. Cook over a very low heat until the potatoes are tender and there you are they really are that simple. 

I've no idea where I discovered this recipe from or who came up with it but I have been using it for years especially throughout the summer. They are  a great side dish with any sort of spicey dish but equally they are easily transportable if you are a family who like to have a picnic and they are great with salads, quiche, chicken and fish and make a great alternative to plain new potatoes or potato salad.   As the weather is due to hot, hot, hot again this week I  may even make some for the weekend.

Whatever you're doing this weekend have a good one and don't forget the sun cream and plenty of fluids to keep you hydrated. 

Mx