Camellia Panjabi's Bombay Potatoes Recipe

• Camellia Panjabi shares a recipe for Bombay Potatoes, using simple ingredients.
• Potatoes are parboiled, peeled, and cut; then cooked with aromatic spices like asafoetida.
• The dish, traditionally served in Gujarati homes, is ready in about 30 minutes.

Discover the magic of simple Indian vegetarian cooking with Camellia Panjabi's Bombay Potatoes. This recipe is a testament to how humble ingredients can create extraordinary flavours with minimal effort.

Preparing the Potatoes

Begin by preparing 650g of potatoes for this delightful dish. The first crucial step involves parboiling these potatoes in a litre of salted water. Add one tablespoon of salt to the water and bring it to a boil. Once the potatoes are about three-quarters cooked – tender but not mushy – carefully drain them. Allow the parboiled potatoes to cool down before proceeding to peel them. Once peeled, cut them into medium-sized pieces, ensuring uniformity for even cooking in the subsequent steps. This preparation ensures the potatoes will absorb the spices beautifully without falling apart.

Building the Spice Base

Next, we build the flavour foundation for our Bombay Potatoes. Heat 60ml of your preferred cooking oil in a kadai, wok, or a wide frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, introduce the aromatic elements. Start with 4 cassia leaves or bay leaves, letting them sizzle for about 15 seconds to release their fragrance. Immediately follow with 4 broken red dried chillies, 1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds, and 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds. Add ½ teaspoon of asafoetida and ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric, along with 15 to 20 fresh curry leaves and ½ teaspoon of red chilli powder. Stir this fragrant mixture for a moment before incorporating 2 finely chopped tomatoes and ½ teaspoon of sugar. Cook this tomato mixture for a minute, then add a splash of water to create a cohesive base.

Cooking and Finishing

Now, it's time to bring everything together. Add the prepared potato pieces to the pan containing the spiced tomato mixture. Stir gently to ensure each piece is coated with the aromatic spices. Continue to cook the potatoes over medium heat until they are fully tender and have absorbed the flavours from the spice base. This typically takes about 30 minutes, but keep an eye on them. Once the potatoes are cooked through, taste and adjust the salt as needed to achieve the perfect seasoning. Finally, stir in 3 tablespoons of freshly chopped coriander leaves for a burst of freshness and colour. This simple yet satisfying dish is traditionally served in Gujarati homes, often accompanied by puris.