Made chickpea curry with potato last night. Recipe called for less potato, but my potatoes were starting to become sentient beings so I had to put them to use… And who doesn’t love potatoes?!
Definitely on the spicy side, so I’d start with less cayenne and add more to taste. Probably didn’t help that I used Malaysian curry powder, but it was still delicious and not painful. I’d consider using a bit of coconut cream next time to make up more sauce and mellow the spice for a nice creamy texture.
Highly recommend using a waxy potato so it holds together.
It makes a lot of leftovers. I think the recipe says 5 servings, but it’ll do far more than that.
https://www.recipetineats.com/easy-chickpea-potato-curry-chana-aloo-curry/
who doesn’t love potatoes?!
Some people commonly say ‘potato-quality’ to signify low quality, but ironically, potatoes are a super-food, packed with nutrients & vitamins. So they could also be called “Cadillac-quality” by that measure.
One thing I can’t stand is when people say potatoes don’t have enough protein to be a super food. They completely ignore that potatoes accounted for almost all the protein in Ireland at one point. If you can live off it then it’s a freaking super food.
It was also a key super-food across the Andes. Pre-conquest folks would stomp on it kinda like grapes, helping to air and sun-dry it so that it would last for ages in various inhospitable places, such as up in the mountains or in dry, coastal areas. A bit like instant mashed potatoes, but Inca (etc) style.
I love potatoes so much. It’s funny because my partner is Irish. He side eyes me every time I go nuts on the potatoes and says that I must have been Irish in my previous life. Potatoes are 100% a super food.
Last summer the price of potatoes almost doubled in my area. I was very deeply concerned because that was going to impact my life. Fortunately things went back to normal. I wasn’t going to make it if potatoes were $4.60 for a 5 pound bag.
Same here in Australia. We had flooding so bad that it ruined the crops in Victoria and in Tasmania. Potatoes were coming in from overseas to help keep up with demand. Restaurants and cafes were ordering their usual orders of whatever shape and size they wanted, but it got to the point where chips would just show up when they were available (and not often the one they wanted), but if they didn’t take it, they’d have nothing.
Get a compost box and throw in a potato or two. You’ll never see the end of them!
I used to compost but then I got chickens. They eat all compost fodder and give eggs.
Ah, lucky. I have wanted chickens as I’ve gotten older, but still renting, so no chickens for me…
Have you tried making them in an air-fryer? Theoretically it’s a wonderful way to crisp them up in various ways, but in a fairly healthy way, without the need for deep-frying nor saturating them in oil.
Only problem over here is that I’m struggling to get standard-size fries to work well, even pre-removing the starch by cold soakings. I know I do need to use Russets next time, just that the local store only sells 10lb bags of those. Still, I might try the “Hasselback” method next time, which looks really yummy from the pictures!
I have not - I don’t have an air fryer, so I’ve just baked them in the oven. I’ve cubed or wedged them, tossed them in olive oil, sprinkle some seasoned salt on them, and eat it straight. If I’m feeling dippy, I mix together some mayo and sriracha.
Hasselbeck is SO GOOD. I also just love slicing potatoes about 0.5cm thick and baking them so they have crispy edges and soft on the inside.
I used to live near a historically Irish-immigration potato farming area, and they had the BEST potatoes. McCutcheon potatoes. I will always pick up 5-10kg when I happen to drive by. I never knew there were so many types of potato until I met my partner. It’s like a drug now.
Have you tried fondant potatoes? Was just reminded of them when I, like an addict, decided to look up different ways to eat potatoes.
I never knew there were so many types of potato until I met my partner.
I wonder what he might think about the variety in Peru, for example:
https://www.google.com/search?udm=2&q=variety+of+potatoes+in+peruHave you tried fondant potatoes?
Uh, no! Hah, they look like scallops. Sounds really good though, and maybe I could use ghee instead of butter to make them.
I’ll ask him when he gets home, haha. But WOW that’s a lot of potatoes. Peru is on our bucket list, and I think we know where my money is going… I’m going to eat all the potatoes.
Re fondant potatoes: I know, right! But just looking at them makes me drool. I can only imagine how soft and creamy they are inside.
I hate kitchen appliances. They break. They take up space. They are difficult to properly clean. But someone gave us an air fryer. It was life changing. They put a perfect skin on any tube meat. They make potatoes crispy.
You gotta work in small batches but even then it can take less time than an oven, even a convection oven, because of that very close heat source.
Get yourself an air fryer. Throw out your toaster if you don’t have room. You can toast in a frying pan if you need to.
I had been considering one for ages, then decided against it because of bench space… But it would definitely be easier on the power bill and helps with portion control.
The man is Irish, he will NOT part with the toaster lol. The only thing that actually lives on the bench is the kettle and a fruit basket. Having a bench top air fryer would definitely help with not heating up the entire house when it’s 30C at 9AM, and then 45C by the time it’s 6PM…
Edit: On the top of air fryers, which one do you have and/or recommend?
Damn that looks like it rips. If I had curry powder I’d make it tomorrow night. Very soon though
Since you don’t have the powder, you can also make curry by sauteing (EDIT: in ghee if possible) various seed and herb combinations, like turmeric, cumin, black mustard, and others. That will form the base of the flavor package. I suppose there’s dozens or hundreds of combinations possible.
It’s way cheaper to make than buy. The initial startup cost hits hard but it quickly pays for itself batch after batch.
But you gotta go to an ethnic market for supplies. If you are buying 2 oz of turmeric at a grocery store you will go bankrupt.
But you gotta go to an ethnic market for supplies.
Oh, hells to the yeah. There are a couple Indian / International stores around this urban area, and it’s unreal how much cheaper and better-quality product you can get from those than from common supermarkets. I imagine that being a limiting factor across much of the States, tho.
Definitely. I used to live in really small towns in Victoria, Australia and I just couldn’t find some of the ingredients for a lot of Asian foods so I just had to use what was available. Some towns didn’t even have Asian grocers, and if they did, a lot of their products were far past their best before dates :(… Because a lot of regional Australian tastes are limited to parmas, burgers, fish and chips, and fried dim sims. 😭 Thai food is surprisingly popular, but they all get their ingredients from Melbourne, too.
It’s so good. I now have an over-abundance of eggplants in the fridge, so I’m eyeing up an eggplant curry next.
This is also very tasty eaten cold, too. Just had some for lunch!
Edit: Rude… I said thank you in my head, but didn’t put it in to text!
I’ve not seen this with potatoes before! Maybe I’ll try this when I make chickpea curry sometime
I do like to add chopped peanuts on top for some crunch though :) it makes the chickpea texture more enjoyable for me
It’s pretty yum with potatoes and it bulks it out a little more so it can be eaten over a few more meals.
Ooooh chopped peanuts would be delicious. Fried onions works well for the crunchy texture, but I don’t think it would work so well with this dish haha.
