Chatpata Aloo

Chatpata Aloo

Description:

This recipe is for all potato lovers. Baby potatoes are usually used for many Indian curries. This recipe is inspired by one of the famous chain restaurant "Barbecue Nation". Reminds me of the days when i was in Bangalore and used to visit the place with my family and friends. After relocating to USA, i very much missed that dish. So i tried it on my own.  You can have this dish as a starter or even as a snack. If mixed with curd, you can also have it with tandoori roti and phulkas.

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 30 mins

Serves: 2 

Ingredients:

• Baby potatoes (8-10 pieces)
• Coriander (dhania) powder - 1 tablespoon
• Homemade dry roasted cumin (jeera) and dry red chili powder - 1 1/2 teaspoon
• Aamchur (dry mango) powder - 1 tablespoon
• Freshly crushed pepper (golmirch) powder
• Dry red chili
• Bay leaves (Tej patta)
• Lime juice - 1
• Freshly chopped coriander (dhania) leaves for garnishing.
• Salt 
• Oil for frying

Raw Baby Potatoes

Fried Potatoes

Fried and Pressed Potatoes

Potatoes fried in masala

Steps:

• Preparation
• Wash and clean baby potatoes. Remove excess water from it.
• Heat oil for deep frying the potatoes. You can even bake it for 30-45 mins in the oven in order to avoid intake of excess oil.
• Heat a pan and dry roast cumin seeds (jeera) and red chilies. Remove it once aroma comes out. Let it cool and make powder in the grinder.
• Cooking
• Heat oil in a deep bottom pan. Once the oil is hot deep fry the potatoes for about 10 mins.
• Check one potato by taking it out of heat and pressing it with a fork. If not cooked properly  then fry the potatoes for little more time.
• Take the potatoes out of oil and remove excess oil by using paper towel.
• Once the potatoes are little cold , press it as shown in the picture above.
• Once again in another pan , heat little oil. Put some dry red chilies and bay leaves to the oil  and toss the pressed potatoes in order to make it extra crunchy and crispy.
• Sprinkle little water in it.
• Add  salt to taste.
• Then add 1 tablespoon of coriander powder, 1 1/2 teaspoon of homemade cumin powder, 1 tablespoon aamchur powder and freshly crushed pepper powder to the damp potatoes. Saute it for 2 mins in order to make it dry.  Important part is not to add the dry spices directly to the oil . It will burn the spices making the potatoes look dark and taste smoky. Always sprinkle water to the potatoes before adding the spices. 
• Squeeze juice of one lime to it.
• Garnish it with freshly chopped coriander leaves. 
• You can also add little curd to the  final cooked potatoes, if you prefer not to have it dry.
• Serve hot.