Lahori Aloo

The hubby is asked to avoid non vegetarian food, hence the focus nowadays at home is on vegetarian food, though he is not abstaining totally! So I find myself making some elaborate ‘not so everyday’ vegetarian recipes every other day. This dish uses the humble potato for a festive kind of a dish. Here is how it is made...

Ingredients

7-8 small potatoes (You can also use baby potatoes or chunked large potatoes),

1 large onion,

12-15 almonds,

1 ¼ tsp cumin seeds,

1 ¼ tsp garlic paste,

1 ¼ tsp ginger paste,

100 ml well beaten curds,

½ tsp red chilli powder,

¼ tsp garam masala powder,

Salt to taste,

6-7 raisins,

Coriander leaves for garnishing,

Oil as required

Method

Peel and halve the potatoes. Slice the onion. Deep fry the potatoes in oil till done and keep aside. In the same oil fry the sliced onion till brown, drain and grind to a fine paste with the almonds.

Soak raisins and keep aside.

Heat about a tablespoon of oil and fry the raisins and keep the fried raisins aside. In the same oil add the cumin seeds, when they crackle add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for a minute.

Remove the pan from direct heat and pour in the curds. Mix well and return to heat and stir fry till the oil appears on top. Next add the chilli powder and fry for a minute. Now add the almond and onion paste and fry again till oil appears on the top. Add salt at this stage and a cup and half of water and let the entire mixture boil. When it boils, lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add the fried potatoes and bring to a boil again. Lower the heat and sprinkle garam masala powder. Mix well and cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for another 5-6 minutes.

Pour into a serving dish and serve garnished with fried raisins and chopped coriander leaves. Goes well with any Indian bread.