Potato Curry

I love cooking, and Indian food (or Indian-inspired food) is one of my absolute favorite things to cook. Around here, two or three meals a week are usually Indian. The food is so flavorful, simple to make, and affordable. Once you buy the spices, you can usually make a meal for two for less than five dollars. The spices can be a little pricey, so if you don't think you'll be using them a whole bunch and don't want to buy a whole big bottle, I recommend trying to find a place that sells them in bulk. Mariposa Food Co-op in West Philadelphia does this, and you can get a little bag of whatever spice you want for less than a dollar. Middle Eastern or Halal food markets will also usually have spices for less money than the grocery store.

The potato curry recipe below is adapted from here. The first time I made it, I followed the original recipe, and I found it to be very bitter and lacking some of the flavor I was expecting. I think it could still use a few tweaks here and there, but all in all, I really enjoy this meal.

Potato Curry

• 2 lbs potatoes
• 2 15oz cans of chopped tomatoes
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1 can of kidney beans
• 1 cup of water
• 1 small-medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp coriander
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tbsp butter
• vegetable oil

1) Scrub potatoes and cut into cubes (I like mine in about 1 inch pieces) and drain and rinse the chickpeas and beans.

2 )Add the potatoes, canned and fresh tomatoes, chickpeas, beans, and water to a medium sized pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer.

3)  Coat the bottom of a pan with vegetable oil and add onions. Cook until translucent, then add the garlic. Once onions begin to brown, add them to the pot, along with all spices.

4) Simmer until potatoes are cooked, seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the butter and allow it to melt into the sauce. 

Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and some naan. Cucumber salad is a nice, refreshing side for this meal and is super easy to make.

Cucumber Salad

• 2 medium cucumbers or one seedless cucumber
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• splash of rice vinegar
• salt and pepper, to taste
• handful of chopped dill and mint

1) Quarter and chop cucumbers and place in a colander with some salt. Allow to drain for about ten to fifteen minutes. Pat dry in put in bowl. 

2) In separate bowl, mix yogurt, sour cream, vinegar, pepper, and herbs. Pour over cucumbers, taste, and add salt if needed. Refrigerate for at least twenty minutes before serving.

Enjoy with a cold Thums Up :)