Bombay Potatoes (Bombay Aloo)

Ingredients

• 20 new potatoes, cut in half
• 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 generous tsp salt
• 190ml (3⁄4 cup) rapeseed (canola) oil 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 5 fenugreek seeds (optional)
• 3 dried red Kashmiri chillies
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced and
• cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 green finger chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1–2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 3 green finger chillies, left whole
• 3 tbsp coriander (cilantro), finely
• chopped
• ½ tsp garam masala, shop-bought or homemade
• Lime wedges, to serve

Steps

1. Fill a high-sided frying pan with enough water to cover the potatoes (don’t add them yet) and bring to the boil over a high heat. Stir in one teaspoon of the ground turmeric, the salt and the potatoes and simmer until tender but still a bit too undercooked to eat. This should take about 10 minutes. Strain through a colander.
2. Dry your pan and place it back over a medium-high heat with 190ml (3⁄4 cup) of oil. When the oil is visibly hot, add the par-cooked potatoes and fry for about 3–5 minutes or until they are golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a plate and set aside.
3. Add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds to the hot oil. When the mustard seeds begin to crackle and pop, add the dried Kashmiri chillies and let them flavour the oil for about 30 seconds. Then add the thinly sliced onions and fry for about 8 minutes or until they are turning golden brown. Add the chopped garlic and green chillies and fry for a further 45 seconds, while stirring continuously.
4. Now add the curry powder, chilli powder, cumin and coriander along with 70ml (1⁄4 cup) of water and the diced tomatoes. Continue to simmer for another 5 minutes to let the tomatoes break down a little, and then stir in one teaspoon of tamarind paste and the whole green finger chillies, if using.
5. Simmer the sauce for another minute and then add the crispy fried potatoes. Stir them into the simmering sauce. Cover the pan and simmer for another 5 minutes, lifting the lid a few times to give it all a good stir.
6. Add 250ml (1 cup) of hot water and bring to a rolling simmer. Then cover the pan and continue simmering for 5–8 minutes, or until you are happy with the consistency of the sauce.
7. To finish, taste it and add more salt, if needed. Add half of the chopped coriander (cilantro) and the garam masala and stir it all in. Garnish with the remaining coriander (cilantro) and serve with the lime wedges, which you can squeeze over it all, to taste, at the table.