Sookhe Aloo – Spice your Potatoes to add more flavor

Sookhe Aloo – Spice your Potatoes to add more flavor! A guaranteed crowd-pleaser, this dish is easy to make fast if you have a microwave oven; if not, it will take a little bit longer, mainly because of the time needed to cook the potatoes till they become tender. Pronounced ‘Sookh-ay’ ‘Aa-loo’, this recipe is just one of a multitude of ways in which I cook this delightful vegetable.

Yes, in India, we do actually think of potatoes as vegetables…. and not as just ‘starch’! Soon after I came to the US, I was rather dumb-founded to learn that here, potatoes apparently don’t really count as a vegetable!! Weird! My fellow grad students, mostly Americans not very familiar with Indian food, thought it equally weird that I loved having seasoned potatoes with Chapatis! They said, ‘How can you pair a starch with a starch?’, and my response was ‘Huh?!’ Talk about culture-shock!

I quickly learned about popular American ‘starch with starch’ pairings – ‘spaghetti with garlic bread’, or ‘burritos with seasoned rice’, to name just a couple. When I brought that up in conversation, my new friends were equally speechless! It was pretty funny!

It seems human beings are genetically wired to love starchy foods, especially when seasoned in delectable ways. I refuse to let anyone dampen my joy when I’m enjoying hot Chapatis with steaming-hot seasoned and spicy potatoes! And yes, I have also grown to love spaghetti with garlic bread. It took me a little longer to embrace a wheat-rice pairing, as in burritos stuffed with rice. I still chuckle when I remember my Indian friends’ responses when I told them that in America, people eat tortillas with rice! They simply could not fathom how or why anyone would eat what were essentially wheat-Chapatis with rice!

This recipe for Sookhe Aloo is one of the many ways I make this beloved ‘vegetable’. Thanks to the microwave, I can make it very quickly and with minimal effort. I chop and sauté the onions while waiting for the potatoes to cook in the microwave. As soon as the potatoes are cool enough to handle, I peel and dice them. After tossing with the lightly caramelized onions, I add the seasonings, splash a little water and cook, covered, on low heat to allow flavors to blend. That’s it! Steaming hot, spicy Sookhe Aloo ready to devour.

I usually add some fresh coriander (cilantro) for garnish, maybe squeeze a little lemon juice. Sometimes, though, I simply couldn’t be bothered – the potatoes taste pretty amazing, either way!

So, the next time you get a craving for something hot, spicy and yes, starchy, you know what to do! Make Indian-style Sookhe Aloo: go ahead, spice up your potatoes! They will surely hit the spot!

Enjoy!

Sookhe Aloo – Spiced, Flavorful Potatoes

A spicy, flavorful dish of cooked potatoes, peeled and diced, stir-fried with traditional Indian spices, to be served with Chapatis, Naan or Puris. Can also be served with other flatbreads like tortillas, Pita, Lavaash

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4 people

Calories 170 kcal

Equipment

• Microwave oven preferred; if not available, the potatoes can be cooked by simmering in boiling water 3-4 quart (liter) pot on the stovetop – directions in Recipe Notes.
• Non-stick frying pan preferred; wide pan recommended to allow potatoes to be in maximum contact with the bottom of the pan; – this will lead to more even browning and enhanced flavor; if not available, an uncoated, stainless steel ot cast iron pan is fine – may need to use a little more oil, to prevent sticking and burning during the sauteing and simmering steps.
• shredder/grater for grating ginger (if using)

Ingredients

  

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• 3 cups potatoes – cooked/boiled, peeled and diced bite-sized chunks
• 1.5 cups onions – finely chopped any kind OK (white, yellow, red)
• 1.5 tbsp oil any kind OK; mustard oil will impart a distinct flavor to the potatoes- if you've never used it before, be aware that not everyone likes its strong flavor
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt adjust according to personal preference
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne) adjust according to personal preference
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp amchur powder dried green mango powder – for tartness; if not available, use sour grape powder (middle-Eastern groceries), or squeeze lemon juice at the end
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger (optional) – grated
• 2 cloves garlic (optional) – minced 1 tsp
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander (cilantro) – chopped
• 1 lemon lime/lemon- cut into wedges

Instructions

 

• Wash and scrub the potatoes to loosen and remove dirt. Make and X-shaped slash on 2 sides of each potato. Cook in the microwave: first on high for 2 min, then medium high ( 60 % power) for 6-7 min. Check for doneness; cook for a further 2-3 min on high, if need be. Allow to cool a little before peeling the still hot potatoes (they peel faster when still hot).
  
• While the potatoes are cooking in the microwave, chop the onions.
  
• Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the cumin seeds.
  
• after about 30 seconds, when the cumin starts to brown a little, add the chopped onions, and saute. for a minute. Stir in salt, turmeric and chilli powder.
  
• Cover and cook on low heat, about 5 min.
  
• Remove cover, add remaining seasonings and stir fry on low heat for 3-4 min, until fragrant and the onions look lightly browned and caramelized.
  
• Add the potatoes to the browned seasoning mixture. Stir and spread the potatoes over the frying pan to form a single layer. Splash a little water (about 1/4 cup) all over; do NOT stir!
  
• Cover and simmer on medium-high heat for 6-7 min. Turn the heat off. Allow to stand undisturbed for 4-5 min.
  
• Remove cover and gently stir. the potatoes will be steaming hot and squishy soft. Try not to smash them while mixing!
  
• Garnish with cilantro, lemon wedges and serve hot with Chapatis, Naan, Puris, or non-Indian flatbreads like tortillas, pita bread, or Lavaash.
  
• Enjoy!

Notes

A fast-fix dish, with a microwave oven.

Stove-top directions for cooking potatoes:

Bring about 2 cups of water to boil in a 3-4 quart (liter) pot. Add skin-on whole potatoes, pierced with a fork in a few places; bring the water to a boil again, then decrease heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender – about 15-20 min.  Check with a fork to see if potatoes are cooked. Turn off heat;  after about 5 min, drain in a colander, allow to cool for a few minutes before peeling and dicing the potatoes.

Storing leftovers:

Store leftovers for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. when reheating, splash a little water, cover and microwave for 2-4 min till steaming hot again. serve hot!.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 3gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 301mgPotassium: 575mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 161IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 2mg

Keyword caramelized onions, potato sabji, sauteed potatoes, spicy, spicy potatoes

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