Aloo Thecha Sabji

Składniki

700 g (1.5 lb) potatoes, about 4–5 medium, Yukon Gold or similar, scrubbed

45–60 ml (3–4 tbsp) neutral oil or groundnut oil

0.5 g (¼ tsp) cumin seeds

0.5 g (¼ tsp) turmeric powder

0.2 g (1 small pinch) hing (asafoetida)

45 g (3 tbsp) prepared thecha, plus more to taste

5–6 g (about 1 tsp) fine salt, adjusted after adding the thecha

8 g (2 tbsp) fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

15 ml (½ lemon) lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Wskazówki

Boil the potatoes whole in salted water for 20–25 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance. Cooking them with the skins on keeps them from absorbing water and turning gluey.

Drain them and cool for 10 minutes. Peel, then break into rough 2–3 cm (about 1 in) chunks by hand. The ragged edges crisp in the pan and grip the thecha.

Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat until it shimmers. Use the full 3–4 tbsp, because the potatoes need it to crisp.

Add the cumin and let it sizzle for 10 seconds. Add the hing and turmeric and stir for 5 seconds. The hot oil blooms their fat-soluble flavour, but spices burn fast.

Add the potatoes straight away so the turmeric doesn’t scorch. Toss to coat and spread them in one layer. Cook for 5–6 minutes, turning occasionally, until the edges are golden and crusty.

Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the thecha and fold it in for 1–2 minutes, until the raw garlic smell fades and the oil turns green-tinged. Thecha is low in water, so it fries in the oil instead of steaming the potatoes. Adding it late keeps the garlic from burning.

Taste, then add salt. The thecha and peanuts already carry salt, so season last.

Turn off the heat. Fold in the coriander and lemon juice. The acid brightens the fat and chilli, and adding it off the heat keeps the herbs green.

Serve warm in a tortilla, on pav, or as a side.

Notatki

Heat control: 6 chillies is moderate and 10 is fiery. Deseed half for a milder version, or use a sweeter green chilli such as Anaheim for flavour without much heat.

Burrito use: Crush the potatoes more finely, then fold in a knob of thecha compound butter at the end. Cool the mix before wrapping, because warm potatoes steam and soften the tortilla.

Hing: It adds a savoury, onion-like depth. Many brands are cut with wheat flour, so choose a rice-flour version if you need it gluten-free.

Crispier variant: Parboil the potatoes, chill them in the fridge for 1 hour, then fry. Chilled starch firms up and fries crisper.

Make ahead: The thecha keeps about a week in the fridge under a film of oil. The finished potatoes reheat well in a hot pan, but add the lemon and coriander fresh.

Source references for the thecha base and the vada-style potato seasoning:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXMa0f-kclM/

https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/batata-vada-potato-bonda-aloo-vada/

https://www.facebook.com/ashusvegdelicacies/videos/thecha-aloo-gravy/4740469082889097/