Potato Curry excerpted from Manju’s Cookbook: Vegetarian Gujarati Indian recipes from a much-loved family restaurant by Manju Patel. Photography by Clare Winfield.
The food being served at Manju’s fabulous restaurant in Brighton is a homage to the cuisine of Gujarat, where vegetarian cooking is both a religious belief and an environmental cause. Living and growing up in Uganda, Manju was passionate about cooking and was taught to cook by her mother. At the age of 14, she was cooking and supplying 35 tiffins a day, just to make ends meet. In 1972, all East African Asians were exiled from Uganda and Manju arrived in London with little money and went to work in a factory where she stayed until she retired. Her dreams of owning and running a restaurant were forgotten for six decades, until her two sons realized her dreams by opening a restaurant in her honour.
This enticing selection of recipes in this book is real reflection of the food served in the popular restaurant and is a perfect example of vegetarian food not needing meat to feel like a complete meal. Every part of Gujarati cuisine is covered from sharing foods such as Samosa and Kachori, snacks such as Chakri and Sev Mamri, through to a wealth of curries to suit every taste using a variety of vegetables, beans, and lentils. Recipes for Manju’s popular chutneys that are sold from the restaurant are also included, as well as dessert and drink recipes such as Gajar Halwa and Mango Lassi. So, if eating authentic Indian food intrigues, then try this wonderful collection of Indian recipes straight from the heart and kitchen of Manju’s.
Potato Curry
Bateta nu shaak simply means potato curry in Gujarati. This curry is a staple of every Gujarati household and there are many versions of it. Peanuts are known as sing dana in Gujarati and are used in a variety of recipes. I’ve added peanuts to the potatoes in this recipe to add an extra depth of flavour. Leave out the peanuts, if you need to, as the dish works just as well without them.
5 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 3-cm/1¼-in. cubes
50 g/½ cup unsalted peanuts
1 onion, roughly chopped
90 ml/generous 1⁄3 cup sunflower oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1⁄3 teaspoon asafoetida
1 teaspoon Ginger and Garlic
Paste (see page 14)
1 tablespoon Kashmiri chilli/chile powder
½ teaspoon red chilli/chile powder
½ tablespoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon salt
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato purée/paste
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
TO SERVE
Rotli (see page 86) your choice of rice dish (see pages 99–100) Bataku (see page 143)
SERVES 4
Cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water until soft. Check if they are cooked by inserting a sharp knife into a piece of potato; it should fall off the knife easily. Drain and set aside.
Place a frying pan/skillet over a low heat, add the peanuts and dry roast, stirring continuously, until the peanut skins start to darken. Remove from the heat and set aside on a plate until cool enough to handle. Remove the skins by rubbing the peanuts in between your hands, then place the nuts in a food processor or blender. Grind the peanuts to an breadcrumb consistency. Remove and set aside. Add the onion to the food processor and blitz to a paste.
Add the oil to a saucepan over a medium heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds, and once they crackle, add the asafoeda and blended onions. Sauté until the onions turn a lightly yellow colour, stirring occasionally.
Add the ginger and garlic paste, stir to mix well, then add the Kashmiri chilli powder and red chilli powder. Cook for 1–2 minutes. Mix well and add the peanuts and potatoes. Mix to coat the potatoes with the spices, then add the ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala and salt and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, sugar and 240 ml/ 1 cup water and mix well. Cover, stirring occasionally, and cook for 4–5 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Check the seasoning and adjust the salt, sugar and chilli powder as needed.
Serve with Rotli, rice and your favourite sides.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Rylan Peters & Small.