Potato Stew (Kerala Style Recipe)

Ingredients

• 250 grams potatoes or 3 to 4 medium-size potatoes or 8 small potatoes, peeled, chopped or diced
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• ½ cup pearl onions – thinly sliced, or use shallots or onions
• 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf), small-sized, optional
• 1 inch ginger – peeled & julienned
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns – crushed
• 2 cloves – crushed
• 1 green chilli – slit or sliced, optional
• 1 sprig curry leaves or 10 to 12 curry leaves
• 2 cups water or 2 cups thin coconut milk or lite coconut milk
• 1 cup Coconut Milk (Thick) or canned coconut milk
• salt as required

Steps

1. Coarsely crush 1 teaspoon whole black pepper and 2 cloves in a mortar-pestle and set aside.
2. Put 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a pan to warm.
3. Add ½ cup thinly sliced pearl onions, shallots or onions, 1 small tej patta, the ginger juliennes, 10 to 12 curry leaves and 1 slit green chilli, if using.
4. Add the crushed black pepper and cloves as well.
5. Saute over low to medium-low heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir regularly and do not let them brown.
6. Mix the chopped potatoes into the onions and spices.
7. Pour in 2 cups water or thin coconut milk and add salt as needed.
8. Cover with the lid and simmer over medium-low to medium heat until the potatoes are cooked and fork tender, checking and stirring during cooking.
9. Let the potatoes become fully cooked and soft, without overcooking them.
10. Lower the heat to low and add 1 cup thick coconut milk.
11. Mix thoroughly and gently heat for a minute or two. Avoid heating too much, which can separate the coconut milk.
12. Serve with appams, idiyappams, soft dosa, ghee rice or cumin rice, or with roti, plain paratha or lachha paratha.
13. Keep leftover stew in the refrigerator and use within one day.