I find immense pleasure in cooking food that I grew up eating, which was made by my mother and grand-mother. These dishes are hard to find in restaurants anywhere, even in India. I feel very lucky and privileged to have a treasure of recipes that has been passed down many generations in my family.
I enjoy the process of sharing knowledge and trying out recipes from different cuisines. I am trying to keep traditional recipes alive beyond their cuisines. I love documenting while I cook and that helps me continually improve and adapt to the available ingredients.
Spiced Potato Slices
This recipe brings back childhood memories. There was always some savoury side dish, called 'kaap' in Marathi, to accompany every meal. Loosely translated to English kaap means sliced. This recipe can be used for any vegetable along with potatoes. You can either make kaap with one vegetable or as an assortment of any number of vegetables.
Ingredients
2-3 whole potatoes, sliced (Any vegetable you like can be used)
1 teaspoon ground paprika or chilli powder of your choice
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt, adjusting to taste
1 cup semolina
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)
Method
1. Wash and cut potatoes in thin slices. I leave the skin on, but you can peel the potatoes before slicing them.
2. Take a medium sized mixing bowl and add the sliced potatoes along with ground paprika, ground turmeric, asafoetida powder and salt. Coat all slices well with the spices. Set aside for 10 minutes.
3. In the meantime, prepare a spatula and a dish with paper towels to drain the sliced potatoes after shallow-frying.
4. Evenly sprinkle some semolina and coat the entire surface of the potato slices with it.
5. Heat a non-stick pan or griddle with some vegetable oil on medium heat. Cover the surface of the pan with individual slices of the potatoes. Take care not to over crowd the pan.
6. Cook each side for about 3 minutes until golden on both sides. Flip the slices to check for doneness.
7. Remove the slices on the prepared dish with paper towels.
8. Repeat the frying process until all the slices are cooked.
9. Serve warm as an accompaniment to your meal. These can also be served with your choice of dipping sauce.
