Rajasthani food - Aloo Ki Subji

Although I enjoy all kinds of cuisine, I must admit I have a soft corner for Mexican, Italian and specially Rajasthani food! My dad gifted me this book sometime back. Its a book by Tarla Dalal on Rajasthani cuisine. It has some basic recipes like Gatte ki kadhi to some very complex and mouthwatering Motichur ladoos. Over all a very good book for people who like rajasthani food!

This recipe below is a very simple one and the best one can think of on a very tiring day. All it requires is a just a few spices, yoghurt, gram flour and Potatoes. No special ingredients that you have to rush to the market for. Everything is in your kitchen for this dish!

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 4 (boiled, peeled and cubed)

1 cup fresh curds (beaten)

1 tspn Bengal gram flour (besan)

1/2 tspn mustard seeds

1 tspn cumin seeds (jeera)

1 tspn fennel seeds (saunf)

1/2 tspn nigella seeds (kalonji)

1 bay leaf

2 cloves

2 sticks cinnamon

A pinch of hing

2 tspns chilli powder

1/4 tspn turmeric powder

1 tspn coriander-cumin seed powder

1 tbl spn Ghee

Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, combine the curds and gram flour and whisk well. Keep aside.

2. Heat the ghee in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, nigella seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and asafoetida and stir for a few seconds.

3. Add the curds and gram flour mixture, chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander - cumin seed powder and continue stirring till it comes to a boil.

4. Add the potatoes and salt with 1/2 cup of water and mix well. Bring to a boil.

Garnish with coriander leaves and Serve hot with chapathis or pulkas.

Note: Adding fennel seeds and nigella seeds is very important to this dish because they give a distinct flavor.