POORI ALOO MASALA / POORI KIZHANGU

Indian recipes deal with many dishes which are made a pair and served together. Typically it is either rice and curry or perhaps bread and a sabji recipe. One of the most eaten breakfast across India is Poori with potato curry. Each region has their own style of making this curry with potato. This poori aloo masala is a South Indian style dish made in most of the homes and tiffin centres. It is much similar to the poori sagu served in Karnataka. This recipe certainly can be used as a side dish to different indian flat breads, but an ideal pair for the deep fried indian flat bread pooris. These semi-liquid potato mashed curries are the favourite curry for many fast food eaters in cosmopolitan cities.

INGREDIENTS:

• Potato - 3 nos
• Big onion - 2 nos
• Green chillies - 3 nos
• Ginger – 1 inch piece
• Hing - 1/8 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Besan flour – 2 tsp
• Salt & water - as needed
• Coriander leaves chopped - A handful

To temper

• Cooking oil - 3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Chana dal - 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves - few

METHOD:

1. Firstly wash and cut the potatoes into 3-4 pieces. Pressure cook them adding a pinch of turmeric powder and 1/4 tsp of salt for 4-5 whistles in high flame or until they are cooked well.
2. Peel the skin and mash the potatoes roughly into big pieces and keep aside. Dilute the besan flour adding 1/4 cup of water to a smooth and lump free batter and set aside.
3. In a wide kadai, heat oil and splutter mustard, chana dal, cumin, urad dal, pinch hing, few curry leaves, chopped chilli and chopped ginger. saute and splutter on medium flame.
4. Now add sliced onion and saute well till onion turns transparent.Now add 1 cup of water, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and hing. Allow it to boil. Meanwhile add the mashed potatoes and diluted besan flour and mix well.
5. Cover & cook well for few minutes till onion gets cooked & masala reaches semi solid consistency. Switch off the flame. Add some chopped coriander leaves and 1 tbsp lemon juice & mix well.
6. Potato masala is ready to serve with hot puffy puri / chapati.

NOTE:

• For variations, you can add finely chopped carrots and a handful of peas while sauting onions.You can also add half of a finely chopped tomato.
• Few bits of cashew nuts can be  added  while tempering mustard seeds, to make it rich.
• Adding besan flour will give the restaurant touch as well as a creamy texture.
• Do not mash aloo completely, the bite pieces will make bhaji tastier.
• Once the curry is cooked, it has to be served immediately or it may thicken and may lose its consistency. Hence you can reheat and add some water while heating or just before serving.