Methi Aloo
Ingredients
Aprox 6 small to medium potatoes 3tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp Ghee
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 Onion finely chopped
1 tbsp Garlic and ginger paste
1 Green chilli finely chopped
(More if you prefer a good chilli kick)
Handful of fresh methi leaves
1⁄2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1⁄4 tsp Amchoor powder
1⁄4 tsp Asafoetida
1 tsp Turmeric
1⁄2 tsp Salt or to taste
2 Small to medium tomatoes chopped
1tbsp Tomato puree
1tsp Sugar
1 heaped tbsp Dried methi leaves 1tbsp plain yoghurt lightly whisked
Fresh coriander leaves to garnish
Method
Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the potatoes with their skin on. Simmer for around 15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked but still firm in the middle with a slight bite.
Cool them in cold water then remove the skins and cut the potatoes into good bite size pieces.
Heat 1 tsp ghee and 2 tbsp of the oil in a pan then add the cumin seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds,
Add the chopped onion and cook until it turns to a nice golden caramel colour,
Add the garlic and ginger paste together with chopped green chilli and fresh methi leaves. Cook it down for approx. 2 minutes.
Add the Kashmiri chilli powder, amchoor powder, asafoetida and half of the turmeric and salt. Give it all a good mix and fry for about 15 to 30 seconds
Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, about 150ml water, sugar and the dried methi leaves, give everything a good stir then turn up the heat a little and cook until the oil starts to separate around the sides and the sauce thickens.
Heat a separate pan and add the rest of the ghee and remaining 1 tbsp of the oil and the other 1⁄2 tsp turmeric.
Give it a good mix up then add the potatoes and fry them until they are just starting to crisp on the outside.
Turn the heat right down on the sauce and add the whisked yoghurt, stirring immediately.
Next add the potatoes to the sauce and give them a good stir.
Add a little more water if the sauce looks too thick, stir and cook for another couple of minutes to allow the potatoes to take on the flavour of the sauce
Once they are cooked through, garnish with the fresh coriander and serve.
*Note. If you don’t have amchoor powder you can substitute it with a small squeeze of lemon juice.
If you can’t get fresh methi add a level tbsp of dried instead but still add the other dried methi later as per the recipe.