Aloo Methi is a very classic Indian recipe where the potatoes are cooked along with the very aromatic fenugreek leaves.  A very well loved recipe in our family, I make this whenever we get fresh methi/fenugreek leaves.

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Aloo (Potato) and Gobi (Cauliflower): Aloo and Gobi are cooked with myriad of spices. A staple in most Indian restaurants, the name “Aloo gobi” generally refers to this aromatic combination of cauliflower and potato usually cooked in the Northern parts of India, esp. in Punjab. This ever popular dry vegetarian curry has been brought to worldwide fame in Gurindar Chaddha’s Bend it Like Beckham. If you haven’t seen the movie, you have got to see it; no not because of its association with “Aloo Gobi” .

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A lazy weekend morning; no rush to go out, no big plans, no get together with friends, just looking forward to having a fabulous time at home, be together. That is what it was like the last weekend.

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Talking of  Dum Aloo…There are some hundreds of ways to make Dum Aloo. In West Bengal it used to be a must dish served for weddings with “Radhaballavi” (lentil stuffed puri), and I loved the slight & subtle sweet taste of that kind of dum aloo.

Also during fall/winter time, when there would be small new baby potatoes, & the peas in the shell, my mom would make peas kachori and dum aloo with the bite size potatoes. It used to be an all evening activity when we would all sit and shell the peas and rub the potatoes to skin the already peeling skins.

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Labra: A Festive Combination of Vegetables & Spices

These 2 months of September & October make me extremely homesick. The cool air, clear skies and the while floating clouds spill out all the memories of the biggest religious festival of West Bengal: Durga Puja, the community celebration, and along with that-  very special food.

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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.