Indian Potatoes

Indian Potatoes 

My mother loved potatoes. She served mashed potatoes almost every meal. When boxed potato flakes arrived on the scene, she thought the box was created just for her. She bought boxes and boxes of them and tried as she would, her disappointment was obvious. She would try the recipe with instant milk and margarine but she never got them to taste like her mashed potatoes.  Instant potatoes came and went in our house, but she never stopped trying recipes. One of her proudest dishes was baked potatoes topped with  sour cream and instant onion soup mixed together and with fresh chives on top. I think she put a pad of butter under the sourcream and a sprinkle of paprika––oh how  my mother loved paprika!

My mother liked to try spices and like her, I love the warmth of cinnamon and cumin and ginger all wrapped together. I’m not sure what my mother would have thought about these potatoes, but I know she would have gotten excited to try and explore just like her boxes of instant mashed!

Note: I make a mixture of spices and keep them in my spice box, but you may find something similar in the spice section.  I like to grind green cardamom, sweet cloves,  fennel seeds, star anise and spicy black peppercorns together.  

You can also use an Indian Curry blend. The spices below are more common, but this still makes a very flavorful potato dish!

Indian Potatoes 

6-7 medium yukon gold potatoes sliced into 2” pieces and cut in half.

1 red onion cut in half and sliced very thin.

2 tablespoons olive oil 

3 tablespoons mince garlic 

2 tablespoons minced ginger 

1 tablespoon cumin powder

1 tablespoon coriander powder 

1 tablespoon dried turmeric powder

1 tablespoon salt 

1 tablespoon black pepper 

Cilantro Sauce

¼ cup olive oil 

⅛ cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons tamarind sauce 

1 bunch of fresh cilantro chopped

Put the liquid in the blended or food processor and then add the cilantro and blend until smooth.

Preheat the oven to 350.

Heat the olive or in a small skillet on low. Add all ginger and garlic and all the spices. Allow to cook and mellow together slowly for about 5 minutes. 

While the spices are cooking, heat a pot of water with 1 tablespoon of salt and allow it to come to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes, strain and cool under cold water.

Put the potatoes and raw onions in a bowl and toss well with the seasoning.

Spread the potatoes and onions on a sheet pan in a single layer. Place in the oven and cook for about 3o mins. The potatoes should be lightly golden brown.

Serve with cilantro sauce 

Add  ⅓ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper.