Presented by: Vinati Mamidala, Seattle

Cook's Note: Cooking and exploring new recipes is one of my favorite hobbies. At home I cook a variety of Indian food, which my family thoroughly enjoys. The Potato Khurma recipe is a popular dish from Hyderabad (a southern Indian city). It’s easy to prepare and can be enjoyed both with Indian bread as well as simple steamed rice. Most of the ingredients used in the recipe can be found at any oriental store, or in Indian grocery stores.

serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound medium white potatoes
• One 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger
• 3 cloves fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened dry coconut powder
• 1 tablespoon raw whole or split cashews (optional)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped fine (optional)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder (or to per taste)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt (or to per taste)
• 1 cup lowfat plain yogurt
• 2 cups water
• cilantro for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Peel the potatoes and cut each potato into 4 quarters. Wash and set aside. In a mixer/grinder, grind ginger, garlic, coconut, and cashews into a fine paste, using a little water.

In a thick saucepan, heat the oil and add the chopped onion and jalapeño. Stir on medium heat for about a minute and a half. Add the bay leaves, turmeric powder and the ginger/garlic/coconut/cashew paste. Turn heat to low and keep stirring for another 2 minutes. Add chili powder, coriander powder and salt. Add the yogurt and stir until it is mixed well. Keep the lid on and leave the sauce to simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes. By now the sauce will have a delicious aroma and an appealing color.

It’s now time to add the potatoes to the saucepan. Stir in the potatoes and make sure they are coated well with the sauce. Increase the heat to medium and cook the potatoes for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 2 cups of water. With the lid on, cook for about 7 to 10 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender, stirring once every 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the stove immediately, or the potatoes will be overcooked. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro. Serve with naan, chapathi or steamed rice.