These “pickled” potatoes are for anyone whose mouth waters at the idea of dousing chips in salt and vinegar, as mine does. They’re not actually pickled, but cooked in a similar way to the Indianacharstyle of cooking that uses particular spices alongside an acidic ingredient, such as lemon juice. They go really well with a typical south Indian curd (yoghurt) rice and a fiery little shop-bought pickle.
My favourite pickle to eat with this isIndian gooseberry pickle, oramla, which is hot, salty and oily. I’m not sure if there’s a suitable substitute in British supermarkets, but it will also be fine without.
Prep10 minCook55 minServes4
300g basmati rice750g new potatoes, washedFine sea saltRapeseed oil350g plain coconut yoghurt(ie, with no added sugar) – I likeCoconut Collab2½ tbsp lemon juice2 tbsp mung dal, or chana dal1½ black mustard seeds1½ tsp cumin seeds2 tbsp sesame seeds3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced½ tsp ground turmeric1 green finger chilli, finely sliced20 fresh curry leaves
Put the rice in a bowl, add cold water to cover, then swirl with your hands until the water turns cloudy. Drain and repeat until the water remains clear, then leave to soak.
Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain and leave to cool.
Drain the soaked rice really well, then put it in a saucepan for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Cover with 500ml freshly boiled water, add a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of oil, then stir and pop on the lid. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes. Scrape the rice into a bowl and add the yoghurt, 200ml warm water, a tablespoon of lemon juice and a half-teaspoon of salt. Beat with a fork until smooth and the consistency of dense rice pudding – when you shake the bowl, the rice should settle into a creamy layer.
Cut the cooled potatoes into 2cm cubes. Put six tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat and, when hot, add the dal and stir-fry for about three minutes, until a rich, nutty brown. Add the mustard, cumin and sesame seeds, garlic, turmeric, chilli and curry leaves all at once – careful, because they might splutter – then stir for a minute. Add the potatoes, fry for about three minutes, moving them around occasionally, then add a teaspoon and a half of salt and a tablespoon and a half of lemon juice. Mix well, fry for another three minutes, then take off the heat.
Check the rice: if it has drunk up all the water, mix in up to another 100ml, if need be, to maintain that rice pudding consistency. Decant the rice on to a platter, spoon the potatoes evenly over the top and serve straight away with some pickle on the side.