Presenting a fusion melting pot of ideas using our favourite potatoes!
Potatoes a favourite of almost all of us, one ingredient which we can rarely do without in our kitchens. Near and dear one, also turns out to being a saviour amidst us while cooking many recipes, be it adding up volume into the recipe or absorbing up a little over normal salt added in a dish during the cooking process, it has the ability and capacity to please us in a number of ways.
Potatoes are a good source of fiber, which can help you lose weight by keeping you full longer. Fiber can help prevent heart disease by keeping cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check. Potatoes are also full of antioxidants that work to prevent diseases and vitamins that help your body function properly.
Besides indian cooking, potatoes are a world famous commodity and has been with global culinary world since thousands of years now. New or old category of potatoes as we usually classify them are both equally nutritious and beneficial to us in a number of ways, infact some of them are also rated on size from small baby potatoes to the medium and the large.
Here are a few Health Benefits of Potatoes:
Potatoes are a rich source of magnesium, iron and ascorbic acid, beneficial for our body in a number of ways.
Potatoes minimise sugar absorption & help in digestion.
Potatoes are rich in Vitamin – C, Vitamin –B6 & copper too.
Potatoes are regarded as best energy producing vegetable.
Potatoes are low in sodium & reduce inflammation.
Potatoes offer liver cleansing & control blood pressure.
Potatoes are high in Vitamin-A & also prevent kidney stones.
Let us now try out a few of my recipes using our favorite POTATOES:
Recipe-1] CRISPY INDO-FRENCH POTATO CROQUETTES
Ingredients:
For the potato mixture:
Boiled mashed potatoes- 2 cups/ approx. 5-6 med sized potatoes
Salt to taste
White/black pepper powder-1/4 tsp
Butter-2 tsp at room temperature
Egg yolk-1 no- optional.
Grated cheese- 2-3 tsp- optional.
Nutmeg powder/ jaiphal- 1 pinch
Chaat masala-1/4 tsp
Roasted crushed jeera- ¼ tsp
Parsley & mint leaves- 2 tsp each chopped
Bread crumbs-1 cup for binding and coating as well
Maida / corn flour- ¼ cup for binding and for the dipping mixture with water
Oil- to deep fry
To serve with:
Chili Mili Mayo Dip:
Mayonnaise-1/2 cup
Chopped green chilies-1 tsp
Coriander-1 tsp chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Mango pickle masala-1/2 tsp
Mix and chill.
Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine together all the ingredients for the potato croquette recipe, mix up the ingredients for the dip and chill until used.
2. Add seasonings, herbs and flavorings as desired to taste and add breadcrumbs along with little maida/cornflour and butter and bind it well together.
3.Divide the potato mixture into 12-14 even portions lemon sized and apply little oil on the hands/fingers and shape every portion into a cylindrical shape and dip it in a coating batter of maida and water and then coat with breadcrumbs and place on a plate.
4. Prepare all the portions the same way, as a variation we can also stuff them with combination of grated cheese with nuts, cooked mincemeat with cheese or nuts etc as well, capsicum, cheese, cooked mushrooms etc can be used as well.
5. Chill the prepared portions in the fridge for 30 mins, heat oil for frying to a medium hot flame and slide in the croquettes one by one and fry them well on all sides to nice golden color, remove on a kitchen paper, drain off excess oil and serve with the prepared chilled dip.
Recipe-2] HASSLE FREE HERBED POTATOES
Ingredients:
Potatoes- 10-12 no medium sized.
For the marination:
Oil/ olive oil- 2-3 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder-1/2 tsp
Mixed herbs- 1 tsp preferably use fresh herbs.
Chili flakes- 1 tsp
Honey-2-3 tsp
Soy sauce- 2 tsp
Red chili sauce- 2 tsp
White vinegar-2 tsp
Butter- 2-3 tbsp. melted
Parsley- 2-3 tsp
Parmesan cheese/ cheese- 2-3 tsp grated for garnish.
Dip to serve alongside with the Potatoes:
Hung curd- 1 cup, beaten and thick
Cream cheese- 2 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Mustard paste-1/2 tsp
Chaat masala-1/2 tsp
Mint and coriander leaves- 2 tsp chopped
Dates-2-3 chopped.
Mix well and chill until used.
Method:
1. Clean and rinse the potatoes few times under running water.
2. Scrub the potatoes with a little regular salt to remove any dirt etc and rinse again.
3. Do not peel them for this recipe, using a sharp knife make slit slices as shown in the pic in every potato and keep in salted water for 10 mins.
4. In a mixing bowl combine together the oil based marination for the potatoes and using a kitchen brush apply the marination in and on every potato and arrange them on a baking tray and put them to bake/ roast in a pre-heated oven at 160 degrees for 25-30 mins.
5.Remove the potatoes from the oven and arrange on a serving platter and place the prepared dip alongside and serve as a snack.
Recipe-3] INDO- AMERICAN POTATO CUPS
Ingredients
Potatoes- 4-5 no slightly oval or elongated shaped, cut half horizontally and par boil them, scoop out the center part and use in stuffing.
For the marination:
Oil- 2-3 tsp
Mustard paste- 1 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs- 1 tsp
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
Chaat masala-1/2 tsp
Red chili sauce- 2 tsp
For the stuffing:
Baked beans-1/2 cup tinned
Scooped out potatoes- chopped
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Onion-1 small chopped
Green chilies-1 tsp
Oil-1 tsp
Butter-1 tsp
Chicken sausages-2-3 chopped/sliced
Tomato ketchup-2 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped coriander-2 tsp
Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp
Capsicum-1/2 chopped
Red chili sauce-1 tsp
Grated cheese-2-3 tbsp. topping.
Method:
1. Prepare all the ingredients for the stuffed potato recipe.
2. Heat oil and butter and saute the garlic, onions, chilies and add in the capsicums, sausages or any veggies of your choice and baked beans from a tin and add along salt and all spices, herbs, flavorings and sauces to taste.
3. Cook the mixture on a low flame for 4-5 mins and turn off the flame, stuff the parboiled potato cups with this mixture and top with cheese and place it on a baking tray and bake them at 160 degrees Celsius for 20-25 mins.
4. Serve them as a snack with dips and sauces of your choice or as a side dish to main course or mini meal.
Recipe-4] INDO- MEXICAN POTATO WEDGES
Ingredients:
Potatoes-4-5 no cut into wedges
For the marination:
Oil- 2-3 tbsp.
Chopped garlic-1 tbsp.
Red chili powder-1/2 tsp
Chaat masala-1/2 tsp
Black salt-1/4 tsp
Black pepper powder-1/4 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Cumin powder-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Melted butter-1/4 cup
Chopped coriander/ parsley-2 tbsp.
Dip to serve alongside with the wedges:
Tomato ketchup-2 tsp
Tomato puree-1/2 cup
Garlic-2 tsp chopped
Olive oil-2 tsp
Butter-1 tsp
Red chili sauce-2 tsp
Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander-2 tsp
Cook all the above in a pan for 2-3 mins and keep warm.
Method:
1. Prepare all the ingredients for the potato wedges recipe.
2. In a mixing bowl combine together the marinate and apply it on the potato wedges, pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius and place the potato on a baking tray to cook in the oven for 25- 30 mins.
3. Remove and arrange them on a serving platter, and serve with the prepared warm tomato dip and also suggested to serve with the mexican avocado dip called guacamole.
Recipe-5] INDO- WESTERN MASHED POTATOES
Ingredients:
Potatoes- 5-6 large ones, boiled, peeled and mashed.
To add into the mashed potatoes:
Olive oil- 2 tsp
Melted butter-1/4 cup
Salt and crushed black pepper-to taste
Red chili powder-1/4 tsp
Chaat masala-1/4 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Spring onions-2-3 chopped
Parsley-2- 3 tsp chopped
Lime juice-2 tsp
Toasted/ fried peanuts- 2-3 tbsp.
Sunflower seeds/ flax seeds- 2 tsp toasted-crushed.
Method:
1. Prepare all the ingredients for the indo-western mashed potatoes.
2. Once the potatoes are boiled, peeled, mashed add the ingredients into it while they are still warm, saute the garlic and onion in the oil and butter and then add into the potatoes.
3. Cream the mixture well in order to mix in the flavors and getting them well blended into the potatoes.
4. Serve them immediately with toasted bread/ lavash or cheese straws/ fancy bread rolls etc.
Recipe-6] LETS BAKE ON WITH LAYERED POTATOES
Ingredients
Potatoes- 3-4 medium sized, peeled and sliced, par boiled.
To prepare the filling for the layered potato recipe:
Oil-2 tsp
Butter-2 tsp
Garlic-2 tsp chopped
Onion-1 chopped
Chicken mince/ soya granules-1 cup
Green peas- ½ cup
Assorted capsicums-1/2 cup chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs and chili flakes to taste
Water/stock-1/2 cup
Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp
Tomato puree-1/2 cup
Tomato ketchup-2 tbsp.
Red chili sauce- 2 tsp
Sliced onions-1 cup saute in little oil and butter until light pink
Grated cheese/ cream cheese- 2 tbsp.
Coriander/ parsley-2 tsp chopped.
Method:
1. Prepare all the ingredients for the layered baked potato combi recipe.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius and grease a deep baking dish with olive oil/butter.
3. Heat oil and butter in a pan saute the garlic, onions until light pink in color add in the green capsicums, peas, and the chicken keema or the soya granules which can be soaked in warm water earlier for around 15 mins, drained and added here.
4. Add in the tomato puree, ketchup, salt and other seasonings, herbs, and mix well. Simmer and cook for 15-18 mins.
5. Layer this mixture with the sliced potatoes, little cheese and the saute sliced onions and allow to bake for 20-25 mins, serve hot with garlic bread, french bread or masala herbed focaccia.
