Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Vegetables
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 lb Potatoes, waxy type
5 tb Olive oil
3 lg Garlic cloves
1/2 ts Ground turmeric
1/8 ts Ground asafoetida
1 t Salt
1 pn [generous]cayenne pepper
- or hot powder
1 tb Sesame seed
Sesame seed - I used pre-roasted from a Chinese grocery
Gujarat is a part of India on the western coast, right
at the Tropic of Cancer, between 20 and 25 deg. N.
latitude. This recipe, adapted from Madhur Jaffrey,
uses only one "mystery ingredient," asafoetida powder
(you should find some if you're going to get into
Indian cooking at all.)
Jaffrey says use two pounds of medium, very waxy
boiling potatoes. I used one pound but left everything
else the same and it was perfect for two hungry people.
Peel potatoes (optional) and cut into long
French-fries 3/8" (9mm) square. Dunk in a bowl of cold
water for 1/2 hour. Peel and sliver garlic. Heat the
oil in a 9- or 10-inch skillet over medium. Drain and
pat dry the potato fingers. Put potatoes in hot oil
and turn occasionally for 8 or 10 minutes to partially
cook -- not brown.
Remove potatoes with tongs or slotted spoon to a plate
with a paper towel on it. From here on you have to
move kind of fast: throw the sesame seeds into the
skillet, stir once. Add the garlic, and continue to
stir. When it begins to turn brown, quickly add
turmeric and asafoetida, and stir once more.
After just a couple of seconds put the potatoes back
in, with salt and cayenne or hot powder. Reduce heat
and cook gently until done. Stir frequently. (I added
a tiny bit of water and loosely covered the skillet
with a plate during the last few minutes.)
