Showing posts with label turmeric. Show all posts
Showing posts with label turmeric. Show all posts

Monday, 20 June 2011

alternative roasties


It's hard to resist a roast potato, and most of us don't really try. These potatoes have a golden tinge, and are flavoured with garlic with ginger kick. They are very easy too, and, cut up a bit smaller than usual, once in the oven they're done in 30 minutes.

I prepare two potatoes per person, each about as big as my fist, say twice the size of an egg (not an ostrich egg). 

This is for four people of average appetite, to go with other food, such as roast chicken or a stew.

Recipe

Ingredients

8 potatoes
½ tsp turmeric
3 cloves of garlic
1 slice ginger (1cm wide)
a few slugs of vegetable oil x2
large pinch of salt

Method

set oven to very hot, Gas Mark 9/240C/475F

o       peel the potatoes and cut each one into four pieces, approx 3cm sqaure
o       put into boiling water with the turmeric and simmer for 5 minutes
o       put roasting tin in oven
o       while the potatoes are cooking, peel the garlic and ginger and pound in a mortar with a pinch of salt, or use a blender to make a paste
o       drain the potatoes, put them back in the hot pan, and stir the garlic/ginger paste into them until they are well coated
o       take out the roasting tin and throw in a slug of oil, swill it around and then toss the paste-coated potatoes around the pan in the oil
o       put the pan with the potatoes into the hot oven for 10 minutes
o       take the potatoes out of the oven and turn it down to gas mark 6/200C/400F
o       shake the potatoes around with a little mor oil if needed and put back in the oven for 20m

serve and eat


Wednesday, 5 January 2011

dry fried spicy potatoes

This recipe lets potatoes take centre stage. If you're going veggie it is a lovely main dish with a salad, and of course it can be a great side dish as well. The fried spices give a sweet and nutty warmth, and can give a quick pep to a simple meal.

My source recipe, by Madhur Jaffrey, suggests cooking the potatoes in their skins, leaving them to cool and then peeling them. Being inherently lazy, I like to peel them, cut them into cubes and cook them like that. If you follow MJ's instructions you get a lovely waxy skin, providing you use the right kind of potato. This version allows for all varieties.

Other than the potatoes the main ingredients are ginger and garlic.

Use a non-stick or heavy based frying pan.

RECIPE

Ingredients
1 lb potatoes
1" ginger
3 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika or cayenne
several pinches of salt
5tbsp oil

Method

Peel the potatoes and cut into 2cm cubes, boil in water for 5 minutes and drain.
Blend ginger, garlic, lemon juice, turmeric, cumin and paprika together with salt to make a paste.
Heat the oil on a medium flame, adding the spice paste and let it sizzle for a moment.
Add the cubed cooked potatoes and turn the heat up a little.
Stir the potatoes around, letting them get well browned on all sides.

Serve.