South Indian Style Pan Fried Potatoes

What qualifies as a good food item? It must be nutritious, fresh, enjoyable, and for most of us, it is also part of a great memory. I remember having conversations that start with "remember the delicious curry or dish you make.....?" The way a curry makes you feel and how much you enjoy it definitely depends on the memories you associate with it. This is the reason every time I go back to my home town, I go back to eat some of the things that I remember from my youth. Not because I cannot make it here, but to re-live those memories and try to capture the enjoyment again. I used to do this a lot when my mother was alive - it was always, "amma, can you please make xxx for me, again?"  

I am glad that in the hectic lifestyle that I have in Melbourne with my full time job and prescribed limited holidays, I still managed to create some memories for my children. I was pleasantly surprised when my daughter texted me for the recipe of the fried potatoes with the spices.  I thought I might as well go the whole way and put it in my blog because one day when I am not here, she can still refer back to it! Perhaps my son would want to make it too - which will be an added bonus!  

So here it is, the quick and easy way to make it and it takes less than 10 minutes from prep to service!

Ingredients:

250 - 300 grams of potatoes

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon cummin seeds

1 teaspoon white lentils (urid dal) (Optional - gives a nice crunch)

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons oil (Any vegetable oil will do. The Indian sesame oil gives it a very distinct flavour and is the best oil for this dish.)

Method:

Wash potatoes and dry them.  You can choose to peel the potatoes or leave the skin on.  I like to leave the skin on as it gets crisp and tastes great after cooking.

Place the potatoes in a microwave safe platter, cover with cling wrap and cook for approximately 5 to 6 minutes. A knife when inserted into the potato should go right though with no trouble.

Let the potatoes cool. Once cooled, cut into cubes.

Add salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder and a tablespoon of water.  The water is added so that the spice powders do not burn when you place the potatoes in oil later.  Set aside.

In a large flat saucepan that can hold all the potato pieces comfortably, add the oil. 

When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, and when they start to splutter, add the cummin and lentils.

When the lentils start to go golden brown, add the potatoes. Reduce the flame and keep stirring every now and again till the spices crisp us on the sides of the potato and the potatoes look like the colour of a golden sunset! 

Serve hot with tamarind rice or yogurt rice  - these are traditional suggestions.  Of course they pair well with salmon, chicken or steak too.