Alu Tamatar Sabji (Curried Potatoes with Tomatoes)

Photo courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

Recipe courtesy: Mamma (Sumita Moitra)

As soon as you board a train in India, you will be amazed with the different varieties of food choices given by the vendors at every station. Now that food may not be the most hygienic or healthy but it sure gives you a glance of the local cuisine of the area you are travelling through. I haven’t been able to travel to a lot of different Indian cities but the few places I have been with my parents and sister were so much fun! I still remember all the varieties of food we used to eat during our train journey. As soon as the train would start, my mom would open boxes and packets of munching foods and sweets and we would eat and chat and relax. Food is an important part of vacation and my mom always used to make sure that we have plenty of food with us. However, that never stopped my dad from buying the local food from the platform vendors. So, whenever the train would enter a platform, he would get off and start buying things like bottled water, magazines, chips and local food and snacks and the one thing he would always buy was Puri Sabji.

Now let’s talk about all the yummy platform foods. I think the most common North Indian platform snacks are Samosa, Bread Pakoras and Chow Mein. Meals usually have Rice with Rajma (Red Kidney Beans curry), Chole (Chick Pea curry) or Dal (Lentils) and of course crispy Puri (deep fried puffed bread) with Alu Tamatar Ki Sabji which is of course the most delicious meals of all times. You may be thinking that Puri Sabji seems like a simple meal option but believe me, it tastes absolutely divine. The curry will have the tanginess of the tomatoes and the sweetness of the potatoes with a hint of green chilies. Pair it with a hot crispy Puri and you got yourself an absolute treat. Since nowadays I don’t get the chance to enjoy this ready made, I prepare this at home for our weekend brunch or even during the fasting days (Navratri or Poojo).

This Sabji goes very well with Puris, Parathas and even Rotis but I think it goes best with Kasuri Methi Parathas (Fried breads with dried Fenugreek Leaves). I got the recipe from my mom a few months back during my India trip and it’s perfect with this Sabji. Try it this weekend.

Ingredients:

• Potato - 2 large sized russet potatoes, cut into medium sized cubes
• Tomato - 2, medium, cut into small pieces
• Green Chilli – 1-2, slit in half lengthwise or Red Chili Powder - ½ teaspoon
• Panch Fhoron – ½ teaspoon
• Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
• Salt – ½ teaspoon
• Oil – about 2-3 tablespoons

Directions: 

• Heat a wok on medium- high heat.
• Add Oil in it.
• Pat dry the Potatoes.
• After a couple of seconds, add the Panch Fhoron and Green Chilli in it.  
• When the spices start sputtering, add the Potatoes. 
• Fry till the Potatoes are reddish brown in color.
• Add the Tomato, Turmeric powder and Salt (along with the Red Chili Powder) in it and mix well.
• When the Tomatoes start melting, turn down the heat to medium low and add about 1-2 cups of water in it. Mix well.
• Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes so that the Potatoes are well cooked. 
• Press a piece of Potato with the spatula and if it breaks the Sabji is ready. 
• Serve with Roti, Puri or Paratha.

Recommended reading:

• Samosa (Spicy Potato stuffed Pastries)
• Chow Mein recipe
• Rajma (Indian curry with Red Kidney Beans)
• Chole Bhature (Chickpea curry with fried bread)
• Kasuri Methi Paratha (Fried Flatbread with dried Fenugreek Leaves)
• Luchi – Deep Fried Puffed Bread
• Indian Salad
• Panch Fhoron
• Kopi Alur Chochchori (Bengali recipe: Stir fried Cauliflower with Potatoes)
• Alu Potol Kumror Dalna (Potato, Pointed Gourd and Pumpkin curry)
• Borboti Alur Torkari (Beans sautéed with spices and Potatoes)
• Soa Baigan Alu (Dill sautéed with Eggplant and Potato)
• Allahabadi Chatpata Alu (Spicy Tangy Potato Gravy of my Hometown)
• Bandakopi Alur Torkari (Mamma’s Cabbage in curried Potatoes)
• Kathal ki Sabji (Enchor/Jackfruit in a Tomato Curry)
• Biye Barir Alur Dom (Spiced Potato Gravy as served in Bengali Weddings)
• Station wala Lehsunia Alu (Indian Railway special Garlic Potato Stir-fry)
• Kalo Jeere Ghee diye Alur Torkari (Potatoes with Nigella Seeds and Ghee)
• Egg Curry (Bengali recipe: Fried Eggs curry)