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Maunika Gowardhan’s spicy potato fry (Chettinad Urulai)

Name: Maunika Gowardhan’s spicy potato fry (Chettinad Urulai)
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 4-6 as a side
Cuisine: Indian recipes
Ingredients: 3 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil; 2 tsp black mustard seeds; 200g shallots or baby onions, peeled (halved if they’re slightly big); 15 curry leaves; Pinch kashmiri chilli powder; 750g baby potatoes, peeled, boiled until tender and drained; 1 tsp sugar; Finely chopped coriander to serve; Chapati to serve, if you like; For the spice mix; 2 mild dried red chillies; 1 tsp coriander seeds; 1 tbsp urad dal (black lentils, skinned and split); ½ tsp black peppercorns

By: Maunika Gowardhan

Published: 24 Oct 23
Updated: 25 Mar 24

Maunika Gowardhan’s spicy potato fry (Chettinad Urulai)

Maunika Gowardhan shares her recipe for authentic Chettinad potato fry. This spicy potato dish sings with chilli, mustard and black pepper.

Maunika says: “Chettinad cooking is synonymous with herbs and spices such as fennel, red chillies and peppercorns. Peppercorn is native to the region and was the preferred spice to lend warmth and heat when chillies were yet to be discovered, in the pre-Portuguese era across India.”

Serves this dish as part of a big Diwali spread.

Easy
November 2023

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4-6 as a side
Hands-on time 30 min

Maunika Gowardhan shares her recipe for authentic Chettinad potato fry. This spicy potato dish sings with chilli, mustard and black pepper.

Serves this dish as part of a big Diwali spread.

Nutrition: Per seving (for 6)

Calories: 157kcals
Fat: 6.5g (0.5g saturated)
Protein: 2.7g
Carbohydrates: 20g (3.5g sugars)
Fibre: 3.4g
Salt: 0.1g

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Ingredients

3 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
2 tsp black mustard seeds
200g shallots or baby onions, peeled (halved if they’re slightly big)
15 curry leaves
Pinch kashmiri chilli powder
750g baby potatoes, peeled, boiled until tender and drained
1 tsp sugar
Finely chopped coriander to serve
Chapati to serve, if you like

For the spice mix

2 mild dried red chillies
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp urad dal (black lentils, skinned and split)
½ tsp black peppercorns

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Method

In dry frying pan, add all the spice mix ingredients and cook over a low heat for 8-10 minutes. Stir halfway through, making sure they are an even colour all over. Cool the spices, then grind in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar to a coarse powder. Set aside.
Meanwhile in a large non-stick saucepan, heat the ghee or oil over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and as they begin to splutter, add the shallots/baby onions along with the curry leaves. Fry, stirring well, for 7-8 minutes. Add the chilli powder along with the boiled potatoes. Fry for 2 minutes.
Now add the spice mix and stir well, making sure all the potatoes are coated in the spices. Season to taste with salt and add the sugar. Stir again and continue cooking over a low heat with the lid on for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat, garnish with coriander and serve with your favourite curry and, if you like, chapati.

Recipe from November 2023 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 157kcals
Fat: 6.5g (0.5g saturated)
Protein: 2.7g
Carbohydrates: 20g (3.5g sugars)
Fibre: 3.4g
Salt: 0.1g

delicious. tips

Kashmiri chilli powder is an Indian staple, mildy hot, smoky and slightly fruity. It’s now in many supermarkets but if you can’t find it, it’s widely available online.

Maunika says: “The region of Tamil Nadu in the south of India has an eye opening variety of spices, cookery techniques, homemade breads and curries. From the different groups such as Mudliars, Chettiars, Tamil Muslims and Naidus, the food influences are vast. Many of those ingredients are also used widely close to my home state in the west of India, and this sense of familiarity has made cooking, exploring and eating curries from that southern region a joy for me.”