White Potatoes with Nigella

Everyone needs a comfort food. This is one of mine.. something which stirs my memories, soothes me with them and make me want to eat and feel good. This simple dish always brings in the weekends when I was school going kid in uniform and two braids. Everyday weekday morning used to be a rush to get ready to make it to school in time ( well we took public trains and rickshaws, no comfort rides in cars or even school buses), pinch my nose and drink up a glass of milk.  But the weekends would be a slow start with the smell of  sizzling “Kalo Jeera” filling the air. It was this dish served with parathas or poori served for breakfast. I can close my eyes and get myself transported there even now.

Ingredients:

1. 4 Big Potatoes cut in to 1 inch pieces
2. 1 teaspoon Nigella seeds (Kalo Jeera)
3. Salt to taste
4. 1.5 teaspoons Black Pepper- roughly crushed
5. 1 Tablespoon Oil         
6. 1 Green Chili/Serrano Peppers sliced (Optional)

Preparation:

Heat Oil.

Add the Nigella seeds and let them sizzle.

Add the green chili and the black pepper.

Add the potatoes and stir around to coat the spices and the oil.

Add salt and cover it with a sprinkle of water at low heat till the potatoes are very well done. If the water dries out, add more water.

The potatoes should be of very soft consistency.

Serve with Parathas, or add butter of top and fluff them up as a spicy potato side dish.