Sunday, August 26, 2007

Luchi-Aloo Bhaja-Simei

Luchi goes great with any potato curry. Following is one such combination. Aloo Bhaja is stir-fried potato. Simei is vermicelli. It can be prepared as a sweet dish to serve as a good partner in taste to the spicy potato fry.

Aloo Bhaja aka Potato fry (makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

Mustard oil - 1 tbsp
Canola oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chilli - 4 whole
Dry bay leaf - 2
Medium onion - 1/2, chopped into thin slices
Medium potato - 4, chopped into long thin slices
Turmeric powder - 1.5 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Coriander (Dhaniya) powder - 1/4 tsp
Sugar - a pinch
Salt - as per taste

Heat oil. You can prepare this fully with mustard oil. In order to dilute the mustard oil taste, I mix canola oil as well.

Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilli and dry bay leaf. After the mustard seed crackles, add a pinch of sugar and the copped onions.

When the onion appears cooked, add the chopped potatoes with turmeric powder and salt.

First cook on High till the sizzling sound almost stops. Add garam masala and coriander powder. Next cook covered on Medium-Low heat for approximately 15 mins. Keep checking frequently to prevent the potatoes from burning. When you can break a potato slice comfortably using the spatula, it is cooked. After that, if you want the potatoe fry to be crisp, cook on high heat for about 2-3 mins. Serve hot.

Simei (makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

Canola oil - 1\2 tsp
Simei\Vermicelli - 1 cup
Cashewnuts - a handful dry-roasted
Fat-free milk - 3 cups
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 6 tbsp
Salt - a pinch

Step 1

Heat canola oil. Roast the vermicelli in the oil till it is translucent and slightly brown. Keep it aside

Step 2

In the same container, add milk and sugar. Bring it to a boil. Add the cardamom powder followed by the roasted vermicelli and the roasted cashewnuts.

14 comments:

sra said...

Hi Pragyan, glad to have discovered your blog!

Aruna said...

Poori & potato fry looks great!!!

themistressofspices.wordpress.com

FH said...

P, I love the way you sliced the potato to strips.Looks yum.Poori Bhaji is the best combo of all!:)
Sweet on the side with hot potatoes,yum!!

Richa said...

that plate looks so delicious :) lovely meal! Just went thru ur blog & will be trying ur chakuli soon, it looks awesome :)

Saju said...

what yummy recipes. The pooris look so good.

Pragyan said...

Hi Sra, Welcome. Hope to hear more often from you :)

Hi Aruna, Thanks!

Hi Asha, Thanks! Oh yes, this is my favorite combo. And this form of aloo bhaji is my all-time favorite! :)

Hi Richa, Looking forward to hear how the chakuli came out :)

Hi Saju, Thanks and keep visiting.

Suganya said...

My first time here. Yr reasoning for the blog name brought a smile to my face :)

I will go thru all other recipes patiently! Did you participate in RCI-Orissa?

Pragyan said...

Hi Suganya, Glad you liked the blog name. Yes, I did participate in RCI-Orissa. Looking forward to hear more from you in future :)

Bong Mom said...

My daughter loves alu bhaja, she will tell me "lomba lomba " alu bhaja :)

Pragyan said...

Hi Sandeepa, Glad to see you back. Little S is so endearing. I am with her. I too love lomba lomba raaga aloo bhaja :)

sunita said...

Now I know your excitement regarding mustard...love the aloo bhaja...we too use lot's of mustard oil in our cooking...

Anonymous said...

Hi Pragyan, thanks for visiting my blog :) This is such a delicious looking meal! I should try that simei and potato fry soon -- not quite ready to tackle luchis!

In answer to your question about brown basmati -- it is Laxmi brand from the regular grocery store. If you're in an urban area, your larger regular grocery may have some too :)

Pragyan said...

Hi Sunita, Glad to see you here. I guess we will have lot in common in cooking :)

Hi Linda, Thanks for the info. Laxmi brand, cool..I will look out for it. Do try the luchi's. They are not that difficult. I can provide all the help that I can :)

Sudeshna said...

Pragyan while searching for aloo bhaja I came across your post. Thats a really nice combination of the three,if you have no issues I would be happy to put up your link on my next blog post, hope you don't mind.