Puris with Dahi Ke Aloo and Kala Chana

Ingredients:

• 1 kg potatoes
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• a pinch of SSP asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp of stem ginger, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies, slit lengthways
• 4 very ripe tomatoes chopped
• 4 tbsp yoghurt
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• small bunch of coriander, chopped
• salt, preferably sea salt

Kala Chana

• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp nigella seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp dried mango powder
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder

Preparation Method:

Boil the potatoes in their skins until soft.

Peel and slice the potatoes.

Heat the oil in a pan and when hot, add the cumin seeds. The seeds should start to splutter. Add the green chillies and ginger and stir around in the hot oil for 2-3 seconds.

Add the turmeric and SSP asafoetida, stir and immediately add the tomatoes.

Let this mixture cook for a few minutes on medium heat until the tomatoes look mashed and skins separate from the flesh.

Now add the yoghurt and simmer the sauce for a further 2 minutes.

Add the potatoes and mash 2-3 of the slices with a potato masher as this will yield a thicker gravy.

Add enough water to cover the potatoes, salt to taste, the chopped coriander as well as the cumin and coriander powder.

Simmer for five minutes and serve with hot puris.

Kala Chana

Soak the chickpeas for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Pressure cook with a teaspoon of salt – or cook in a slow cooker or low heat with a tight-fitting lid until the chickpeas are soft. This should take about half an hour in a pressure cooker.

Mix all of the spices together, heat the oil in a pan and add the spice mix to the hot oil.

Let this sizzle for 1-2 seconds and add the cooked chickpeas to this frying mixture.

Stir so that the chickpeas are evenly coated with the spices.

Kala Chana is ready to serve.