Aloo ki Kadi (Potato curry or Potato stew)

Potato stew is one of my favorite dishes since childhood. It is something uncommon to many Indians but specific to a region to which my mom belongs. Lucky me! As a kid I would always ask for 3 bowls of skew for dinner but still be craving for more.

I have learned that not only is potato skew tasty, but also easy to make. All you need is 1-2 spices and potato and you are ready to go. It's perfect for a cold winter evening.




Ingredients:
1. 2 large potatoes boiled and mashed
2. 3 cups of water
3. Salt to taste
4. Paprika
5. Ghee (olive oil will substitute if you don't have ghee)
6. Mustard seeds (optional)
7. Cumin seeds (optional)
8. Asafoetida
9. 2 Mango seeds dried

Directions:
1. Add water and mashed potato to a skillet and stir continuously on medium flame and bring to a boil.
2. Add the mango seeds, paprika, asafoetida, and salt
3. Lower the heat but continue to stir until the skew becomes thick enough such that you cannot distinguish between the potato and water

Serve hot as a soup.

If you want to cook it the traditional Indian way, then:
3. Let skew cool and set aside.
4. Heat ghee in a separate skillet (something like serving spoon that can withstand direct heat would be convenient as opposed to a skillet) and then add mustard seeds.
5. When the mustard seeds start popping, add cumin seeds and cook until they turn brown (few seconds)
6. Immerse or pour this skillet (or spoon depending on what you used) in the cool skew and cover simultaneously and as quickly as possible. This allows the spices to be absorbed by the skew.
Caution: Adding the hot oil to the skew can cause the skew to rise and splatter on your face! Keep Distance.
7. Cook the skew on low heat for another 5 minutes.

Serve hot with Roti (Indian bread) or naan.