news from the blue

Have you heard about the yummy happenings at the blue potluck? Palate pleasers from appetizers and side dishes to mains and of course desserts!

Join us at 6:30 pm, Saturday, August 16, and bring your favorite veggie dish. Then sit back and enjoy the flick.

Chitra's Spicy Potatoes, Peas and Carrots
A crowd-pleaser from the monthly veggie potluck, shared with us by Chitra Balachandran.

Ingredients
3 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp cumin seed
2 med onions, red or white, diced into small pieces
½ tsp turmeric
salt to taste
¾ - 1 tsp red chili powder or crushed red pepper; less if you want it less spicy
2-3 carrots; peeled and cut into small pieces
¾ c peas
4 med potatoes; peeled, boiled and chopped
1 ½ Tbsp coriander seeds, powdered
¾ tsp aamchur (dry mango powder) or substitute by adding a little lemon juice to the vegetables at the end
Fresh cilantro, a good couple of handfuls, chopped well

Preparation
Heat 2 Tbsp oil in pan. When oil is hot, add cumin seeds and let it sizzle (don't let the cumin burn). Add onions and saute for a few minutes. Add turmeric, salt and chili powder, and saute for a few minutes. Add carrots and peas and saute well (you can put a lid on the pan and let the carrots and peas cook); stir occasionally so that the veggies don't burn. After the carrots/peas are cooked, add the diced potatoes and mix well.

Add the coriander powder and aamchur to the vegetables. (If you don't have aamchur, just add the powdered coriander seeds.) Mix well and if needed, add another 1-2 Tbsp oil. Cover and let it cook over medium heat. Do a taste check - and add more salt, chili powder and/or coriander powder, aamchur as needed. Turn the vegetables over from time to time so that they don't burn. (If you did not add aamchur earlier, add a little lemon juice - say about 1 Tbsp..or more as required to taste...at this point.) Mix well and remove pan from flame after all the vegetables and spices have blended well. Garnish with lots of chopped fresh cilantro.

Notes
Coriander seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric, chili powder and aamchur can be found in all the local Indian stores (coriander and cumin can be found in the local grocery stores as well). Chili powder is made by powdering dried red, hot peppers (it is really spicy). Wash your hands well if it gets on your hands. You can use coriander powder that is also available in the local grocery stores, but my experience is that the flavor diminishes with time. So I prefer to powder the seeds just before using them for maximum flavor.