Baby Potatoes in Yogurt Gravy

I learned this recipe from my sister-in-law, Savita, back in India thirty five years ago. At the time, I was newly married. Once in a while, when I make this dish, my husband, who is very fond of aloo (potatoes), really enjoys it! This is one of the various aloo dishes I make for him when he's craving potatoes. Today, I am sharing this simple family recipe of baby aloo in yogurt gravy with you.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 12 pc. baby potatoes, boiled and peeled
• 1 medium size onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon green chili, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon red chili powder (adjust heat level according to your taste)
• 3/4 tablespoon dhanajaeera powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Pinch of hing (asofetida)
• 2 to 3 dry red chilis
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1/4 cup green coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 cups yogurt

Directions:

1. Boil the potatoes, remove the skin and keep aside. Lightly pierce the potatoes with a fork.
2. Heat oil in a pan/kadai, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they start to crackle, add dry red chili and hing. 
3. Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chili. Sauté for thirty seconds. Add all the spices and sauté for an additional 30 seconds. Make sure you don't burn the mixture.
4. Add yogurt and stir continuously. When it starts to boil, add the baby potatoes. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, turn off the stove and cover the vegetables for five minutes. The dish is now ready to serve.
5. Garnish with fresh green coriander leaves.
6. Serve hot with roti and/or rice.

Pav Bhaji in a Cone

Pav bhaji is traditionally served with bread as a main course meal. Here I've tried to create the same combination a different way to serve it as an appetizer. I made a cone from all purpose flour dough, baked it and filled it up with traditional bhaji. It came out very handy to serve and quite tasty too. You may also serve the cone with different kinds of fillings. For example, potato stuffing, chiili paneer stuffing, falafal stuffing etc. You may use your own imagination and create a whole new dish. So cook some bhaji, relax and enjoy this version of serving the bhaji in a cone.

For The Cone:

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes (includes 30 minutes of flour rising time)
Servings: 4 (for 8 cones)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoon Eno (fruit salt)
• Salt to taste
• Milk as required (to make the dough)
• 2 tablespoons butter (for applying on the cones)

For the Pav Bhaji:

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 

Ingredients : (to make 8 cones)

• 1 idaho potato (boiled, peeled and mashed)
• 1 tablespoon boiled green peas (mashed)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped green capcicum
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala
• 1-1/2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt to taste

Chiili Garlic Paste:

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 green chilli
• 1-1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/8 teaspoon dhanajeera powder
• 1 teaspoon green coriander leaves, chopped
• Salt to taste

Directions for the cone:

1. Combine all the ingredients for the dough in a deep bowl and knead to a soft consistency using  milk, as required. Keep the dough aside for at least a 1/2 hour to allow it to rise.
2. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Roll one portion of flour dough into an oblong shape (approx. 8" x 5").
3. Cut the rolled dough vertically into four equal strips using a sharp knife. Take a strip and wet it with a little water evenly on one surface. Wrap the strip with the watered side facing in and swirl it while slightly overlapping it on an aluminium cone shaped mould (see the picture below).
4. Repeat with the second portion to make the 8 cones. Apply a little melted butter on the dough on all the sides once wrapped.
5. Preheat the oven on 325 degrees.
6. Place the mould on a baking sheet and bake until it gets golden brown. Take out from the oven and let it cool.

Directions for the bhaji:

1. First, to make the chili paste, add every thing listed in a food processor and blend. Then, add a little water to get a paste consistency and keep aside.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a large pan or kadai.
3. Add the onions, a little salt and saute for a five minutes while stirring occasionally. Once the onions are translucent, add the green capsicum and mashed green peas. Saute for an additional 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Mash well using a potato masher.
5. Add boiled potatoes, mix well and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Then, add 1/2 cup of water and cook for 2 more minutes while mashing it.
6. Add the red garlic chili paste, to taste and desired spice level, pav bhaji masala and salt (add very little salt as there is already salt in the garlic paste). Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
7. The bhaji is now ready to serve. Garnish it with green coriander leaves. 
8. Top the bhaji with butter (optional).
9. Prepare the bhaji in advance so you may serve it with warm bread cone.

Pav bhaji in cone:

Bread cone:

Aluminum mould: