Jeera Aloo | Alu Jeera | Cumin Potatoes

You all know by now that how much I love these baby potatoes as I have already posted many recipes with it and I would like to use them where ever they can be easily replaced with the regular potatoes.Aloo jeera is generally prepared with cubes of alu but I feel that these baby potatoes add a pretty look to the dish.I tasted this for the first time from a colleague's lunch box,she had brought parathas with jeera alu and some North Indian achaar.I still remember how every one attacked her lunch box for a bite of this delicious potato and pickle with paratha.I fell in love instantly with the extremely flavorful jeera alu and I immediately took the recipe from her.The freshly roasted and ground masala does the trick and always keep the spices minimal to get the actual taste of the dish.This is a very dry dish and is ideal for traveling as well.Try this simple but extremely flavorful cumin potatoes and I am sure even you will fall in love with them like I did.

Jeera Alu Recipe:
(Serves 2-3)

Ingredients:
15-18 Baby potatoes or 4 normal Potatoes
1 tsp Red chili powder
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Amchur powder
1 tbsp Coriander leaves
1 tsp Oil
Salt to taste

for tadka:
2 Green chillies,finely chopped
1 tsp Cumin seeds
a pinch of Hing
1 tbsp Oil
Method:

• Pressure cook baby potatoes for 1 whistle and simmer for 5 mins and switch off the flame.After the pressure drops,drain and cool the potatoes and peel the skins off.Prick the potatoes once or twice using a fork.If using regular potatoes,peel the skins off and cut into 1" cubes.
  
• Dry roast cumin seeds and coriander seeds until dark brown and then pound them in a mortar and pestle to a coarse powder.Take care not to burn those spices otherwise it will spoil the taste of it.
  
• Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add pricked boiled potatoes and shallow fry them on low-medium flame for 7-8 mins until you get to see the brown patches and they become crisp.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add hing and crackle cumin seeds and then add finely chopped green chillies and fry well until they are crisp.
• Add freshly ground coriander-cumin powder,amchur powder,red chili powder to the oil and add crispy fried baby potatoes and add enough salt and mix them well and let them roast on medium to high flame for another 3-4 mins.
• Add chopped coriander and mix well.

Serve them with parathas and North Indian achaar or with rotis or pulavs as a side dish.
Serve them hot as they are crispy when hot.Even when served at room temperature they tastes very nice and flavorful.
Notes:

1. This can be carried for journeys along with rotis,just avoid coriander leaves in the recipe.
2. Pricking the baby potatoes helps in not bursting and also it absorbs the masalas.
3. Always use freshly ground masala to this,it really gives a nice flavor to potatoes.
4. You can even add 1/2 tsp lemon juice to it for extra tangy punch.