Veggie feasts #2

Last night's leftovers got all sexed up with South Indian flavours.

This is a variation on the potato and onion filling of a masala dosa, which is one of my favourite things to eat.

Potatoes | onion | green beans | cumin seeds | black mustard seeds | turmeric | asafoetida | lemon

My mum wants to know how I made this, so here's my method:

Serves 2 as a main or 4 as part of a meal

Good splash of sunflower oil

Boiled potatoes, cut into bitesize pieces (I've used unpeeled new potatoes but a floury type works just as well if not better)

1 onion

Any leftover veg you might have in the fridge

3 tsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp black mustard seeds (feel free to use less - I'm a bit crazy about them and always chuck in loads)

1 tsp turmeric

Pinch of asafoetida

Juice of half a lemon

Pinch of salt

Get your potatoes on the boil. When they're ready, drained and cooling, chop your onion. Get a big pan on a medium heat, heat up a little oil, add your onion and fry for a few minutes. While that's cooking, get a small pan with a lug of oil on a high heat. when your oil is hot, add the cumin and black mustard seeds. They'll pop and splutter so stand out the way while they cook, which will only take about 20 seconds. Add them to the onion. Add your potatoes (and any leftover veg) to the onion and spice mix, turn the heat up and put in your turmeric and asafoetida. (The turmeric will turn everything bright yellow and the asafoetida will smell weird at first.) Let your potatoes get a little crispy, then add your lemon juice and salt. Get stuck in.

A few notes:

Sorry for the blurry photo - I was hungry!

This is usually made with curry leaves - if you can find them, put a few in and it'll taste even better.

This has no heat in it - if you want it hotter, the traditional way is with green chillies (but I usually just use whatever spicy powder is in the cupboard - hot smoked paprika, cayenne, chilli powder, they all work fine.) 

If you don't have asafoetida, a few crushed cloves of garlic are a good alternative - put them in with your onion. 

Some plain yoghurt or raita on the side would go beautifully with this and is a quick substitute to the lovely coconut chutney that dosas are usually served with. 

These potatoes are definitely a bastardised version of the real thing. If you can, get your hands (and mouth) on a masala dosa - it's the best thing ever. 

Plus it's an excellent hangover cure. 

Thanks for reading x