Wherever you are, however your day is going, these lush ghee-roasted new potatoes in a flavoursome, rich will brighten up your day.
I love this dish because it elevates a humble ingredient like potato to something lush. Potatoes are great because they soak up all the flavours from the gravy, which is full of spices, herbs, and the perfect balance of tanginess, sweetness and heat.
You could replace potatoes with baby aubergines, or paneer, or chickpeas - literally anything that absorbs flavours is great.
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp ghee
250g miniature new potatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, grated
1 small piece ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
5 cardamom pods
1 small piece of cinnamon stick
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp sumac (if you don’t have this, you can replace with a dash of lemon juice + 1 tsp vinegar)
400g peeled chopped tomatoes (or a chunky tomato sauce)
750ml water (3 glasses)
2 tsp dried mint
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
Freshly chopped coriander.
Salt to taste
METHOD
Heat up the ghee and roast the baby potatoes for 2 minutes until slightly browned. Season with salt and set aside.
In the same pan, heat the olive oil and add the grated onion. I grated it because I wanted a very fine texture. You can also chop it finely or puree it in a food processor. Season with salt and sauté until translucent.
Add the grated ginger, garlic, cardamom, cinnamon stick, turmeric and red chilli. Cook for a few minutes until the raw smell evaporates.
Stir in the tomatoes, sumac, water and the potatoes. Cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender but not mushy. Remove the lid, add dried mint and toasted cumin seeds, increase the heat to high and cook for another 3 minutes to reduce the sauce. Sprinkle freshly chopped coriander and serve immediately.
