Microwave Roast Potatoes

Microwave Cooking :
Preparation time : 5 minutes
Cooking time: 9 minutes
Serves 2
Ingredients
* 1 cup baby potatoes
* 1 tablespoon cream
* 1/4 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)*
* 1 tablespoon oil
* salt to taste
To be ground into a paste
* 4 Kashmiri chillies
* 2 cloves garlic; 12mm
* (1/2) piece ginger
* 2 teaspoons coriander-cumin seed powder
Method
* Wash the potatoes thoroughly, pierce them with a fork and place them all around the circumference of the microwave turntable. Place a glass of water in the centre to prevent the potatoes from getting wrinkled.
* Microwave on HIGH for 5 to 6 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
* Heat the oil in a microwave safe bowl, add the prepared paste and salt and mix well. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute.
* Add the potatoes, cream and kasuri methi and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes.

Potatoes in Mango Chutney Sauce

Ingredients:

8 large potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons mango chutney sauce, without mango pieces.
Handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Sauté the onions on high heat until golden, then add the tomatoes. Under regular stirring cook the mixture until it turns into a thick paste.
Add some salt and the turmeric powder. After a minute throw in the potatoes and approx. 50 milliliters water. Covered and on low heat, simmer the potatoes until soft and the water has evaporated – this takes about 15-20 minutes.
Stir in the mango pickle sauce and a sprinkling of pepper. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves and serve with warm rotis or pita bread

Potato Nests with Sour Cream and Smoked Salmon

Ingredients
* 1 1/2 pounds large russet potatoes
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced smoked salmon (2 oz.), plus a small amount for garnish
* 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
* 3/4 cup sour cream
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* Pinch black pepper
* Small parsley leaves, optional
Method:
In a large saucepan, bring unpeeled potatoes and enough cold water to cover to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer potatoes until just cooked, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes, let cool and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until cold.
Meanwhile, pulse smoked salmon and lemon peel in a food processor, scraping down bowl. Add sour cream and process until combined. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease 32 mini-muffin-tin cups. Peel and coarsely grate potatoes. Gently toss potatoes with salt and pepper in a bowl. Place about 1 heaping Tbsp. potato mixture into each muffin cup and press against bottom and up sides, allowing some mixture to extend above rim. (Do not spread mixture too thin or holes will form while baking.)
Bake potato nests until edges are dark golden, about 25 minutes. Coowwl nests in pans for 10 minutes. Carefully remove nests from pans and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to set. (Nests may be made up to 4 hours ahead; leave at room temperature.)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place potato nests on a clean, large baking sheet and bake until heated through and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer potato nests to a platter. Using a small spoon, dollop about 1 tsp. sour cream mixture into each potato nest and top each with a tiny strip of smok

Aaloo Ke Qatlay

Ingredients
Potatoes (medium) 250 gm
Dhania seeds (roasted) 1tbs
Zeera (roasted) 1 tsp
Sonth (powdered dried ginger) 1tsp
Dried anardana 1 tbsp
Red chillies (shredded after roasting) two
Green chillies (chopped, optional) two
Mustard oil
(or any other preferred cooking medium) 2 tbsp
A small pinch of hing
A large sprig of fresh dhania
Salt to taste
Method
Wash the potatoes and slice into thin rounds. Heat oil in a frying pan and when smoking, add hing. Follow with other coarsely pounded spices immediately. Add potatoes, anardana, chillies, along with salt. Stir well. Lower the heat and cover to cook for about five to seven minutes. Sprinkle with a little water to avoid sticking to the bottom or scalding. Garnish with fresh dhania.

Zeera Aaloo

Ingredients:
1 pound cooked potatoes*
3–4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 inch freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon red chili powder
1/3 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon amchur (mango) powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
. *Use firm, thin-skinned potatoes such as Yukon

Method:
1. Peel and boil the potatoes—then cut them into ¾-inch pieces.
2. Pour the oil into a heavy bottomed pan, set the heat to medium high, and heat until almost smoking.
3. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they begin popping—approximately 10–seconds. Adjust the heat as required to avoid burning the seeds.
4. Add the ground cumin, chili powder, turmeric, and amchur to the oil and cook for several seconds.
5. Add the potatoes and mix thoroughly.
6. Add the salt and pepper and continue cooking until the potatoes are light golden brown.
7. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Firdausi Aaloo

Ingredients:
1 kg baby potatoes
1 ½ tbsp white sesame seeds
1 ½ tbsp black sesame seeds
( you may use only white or only black sesame seeds instead)
¾ tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp cumin seed powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp asafetida powder
salt to taste
1 sprig curry leaves
2 tbsp oil
Method:
Cook the potatoes (boil, steam or microwave) till well cooked but firm and not mushy.
As I mentioned above, you can use larger potatoes cut up into chunks, either before or after cooking them. I usually peel the potatoes, cut them up and then microwave them at 100% for 7 -8 minutes.
Now add the salt, the turmeric, chilli and cumin seed powders to the potatoes and gently mix well so that the potatoes are evenly coated with the salt and spice mixture.
In a pan or wok, heat the oil. Turn down the heat to medium and add the sesame seeds. Stir and when they start popping, add the asafetida powder and curry leaves. Stir once (do not allow the asafetida to burn) and add the spiced potatoes. Mix well so the potatoes are coated with the sesame seeds. Continue cooking on low to medium heat for another 5 -10 minutes so that the potatoes become a little crisp. Take off the heat, dish and serve warm as an accompaniment to chapathis or rice.

Pan Fried Shrimps

Ingredients:
1/2 pound of shrimp
2-3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup of corn oil
salt – to taste
pepper – to taste

Method:
Salt the shrimp and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Then rinse under cold water. This plumps up the shrimp and freshens them up. Now lightly salt the shrimp. Add freshly grated black pepper – as much as you can handle. Dip the shrimp in cornstarch. In a smallish saute pan (or wok), heat the oil to very hot, but not smoking. Spread the shrimp in the pan evenly. Hopefully they will all fit. After a minute or so, turn them on the other side. After another minute or two when they have turned pink, take them out of the pan. Squeeze some lime on and eat.