Potato Masala for Poori

 I would always wait for Sunday mornings when I was young. My dad would buy us breakfast. It would always be poori with potato masala, vadai with sambar, and pongal, all packed in banana leaf packets. Oh the smell of the leaf and the potato. I can still feel it when I think about it. In South India, poori is almost always served with this delicious potato, that is cooked with sliced onion and chopped tomato and green chili, mashed to form a pulpy curry.

Ingredients for 5 servings:

4 Potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed to chunky pieces

1 large onion, sliced

2-3 green chili, chopped or sliced

1/2 inch ginger, chopped

curry leaves for garnish

1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon red chili powder

salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida

for tempering:

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon urad dal

1 teaspoon channa dal

Method:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a broad pan. Temper mustard seeds, urad dal and channa dal. Add green chili, ginger and curry leaves. Saute for a minute.

2. Add sliced onion and cook till translucent. Add chopped tomato and cook for 5 minutes. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, asafoetida and salt.

3. Add mashed potato to the pan. Mix with onion mixture. Add enough water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Check for salt and add if required.

4. Add more water if required. Garnish with chopped cilantro. 

5. Serve hot with poori.