Bombay Aloo

[Cory Ander]

A photo of Bombay Aloo I made for (someone else's) dinner last night:

Bombay Aloo

Bombay Aloo 2.jpg (105.82 KiB) Viewed 4595 times

Made Madras/Vindaloo hot. Very tasty

[pauly]

Now that does look good. Just the right amount of sauce for me. Any chance of exactly what went in it CA ?

[goncalo]

That's the right kind of bombay aloo CA! What recipe did you use and how did you precook your spuds (and what variety of spuds did you use)

[unclefrank]

A very nice looking dish there CA.
What recipe did you use?

[Cory Ander]

Hi Guys,

I admit, another one I cooked on the fly (which is normal for me, unless I'm trying to capture a recipe to write it), but roughly (as far as I recall):

1. Pre-cooked spuds (I used Nadine, which is waxy potato that holds it's shape, on boiling, more so than a floury potato):

vegetable oil (quite a lot) in the base of a pressure cooker (or any other suitable pan)
small piece of cassia bark
some panch phoran
asian bay leaf
green cardamom pods
finely chopped onions
puréed garlic
spice mix
salt
tomato paste (dilute)

Fry whole spices, add onions and cook until translucent, add garlic, add spice mix and salt, add tomato paste. Fry until oil separates. Add potatoes and tumble in mix. Add (excess) water and boil until almost cooked. Strain through colander (just prior to adding to main dish). Keep some "stock" to add a little to the main dish (it taste quite nice).

2. Main dish:

vegetable oil (quite a lot of)
fresh curry leaves (a few) - because I like them
coarsely chopped onion (0.5 inch squares)
coarsely chopped green pepper (0.5 inch squares)
a little panch phoran
puréed garlic
spice mix
Kashmiri spice paste
chilli powder (a little - to taste)
dried fenugreek leaves (crushed)
salt
fresh habenero (one chopped whole)
tomato paste (diluted)
curry base (normal 250ml or so)
some reserved stock from spuds (maybe 50 - 100ml)
tomato (chopped in 8)
sugar (a tad, to taste)
fresh coriander leaves
garam masala (a sprinkle)
all purpose seasoning (a sprinkle)

Heat oil to hot (I used a cast iron wok). High heat all the way. Add onion, pepper chunks, curry leaves and whole spices. Fry until onions start to crisp around edges. Add garlic. Add spice mix, spice paste, chilli powder, habenero, fenugreek leaves and salt. Add tomato purée. Fry until oil begins to separate. Add a little curry base. Fry until oil begins to separate. Add spuds and coriander. Add remaining curry base (a little at a time and reducing each time). Ditto the stock. Add tomato. "Season" with garam masala, sugar and "all purpose seasoning".

I think that's about it

I'll post another photo of some that I will reheat in the microwave. If you want the oil to really separate, that does the trick admirably.

The "secret" is not to not overcook (or undercook the spuds), not to overcook the onions, green peppers and tomato, high heat (particularly in the early stages) and to ensure that the spices are otherwise well cooked (with good oil separation, and using not too much liquid, at any stage, along the way...."bhuna" style). I think I could have reduced this a bit further, but my "client" may have complained that it wasn't saucy enough

I'll post a proper recipe (if anyone is interested)?

[Willyeckerslike]

That does look good CA

[Cory Ander]

Don't tell me, your wife's favourite? Besides a stinky hot phal, of course!

[Willyeckerslike]

No it's definitely not hot enough for her!