Lasaniya Batata (spicy baby potatoes with garlic)
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Garlic flavored, hot and spicy lasaniya batata is a delicious curry if your palate can tolerate the fiery taste of red chillies. However, those who appreciate the spiciness and are ready to go to any length to enjoy the best flavor of garlic and potato sautéed in spices will experience the heavenly delight. One advice though; keep roasted peanuts, or fryums or something sweet and cold handy to soothe your palate immediately.
| Ingredients: |
| 12-14 Baby Potatoes (boiled) |
| 12-15 cloves Garlic (lasun) |
| 1 small Onion (finely chopped) |
| 1-inch Ginger, chopped |
| 3 Dry Kashmiri Red Chillies |
| 1 medium Tomato, finely chopped |
| 2 teaspoons Coriander Powder |
| 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds |
| 1/2 teaspoon Dry red Chilli Powder |
| 1/8 teaspoon Turmeric Powder (optional) |
| 1/2 teaspoon Chaat masala |
| 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala |
| Salt |
| 1 tablespoon + 4 tablespoons Oil |
| Coriander Leaves, finely chopped |
Directions:
- Soak dry red chillies in 2-tablespoons water for 10 minutes.
- Boil baby potatoes until tender and peel its skin. (Consider adding salt while boiling potatoes, this will enhance its flavor.)
- Grind garlic, ginger, soaked dry red chilli, tomato, coriander powder, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and salt together in a grinder and make a smooth tomato-garlic paste.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a non-stick pan. Shallow fry boiled potatoes for 2 minutes over medium flame.
- Sprinkle chaat masala and garam masala over it and fry for 1 more minute. Turn off flame and transfer potatoes in a bowl.
- Heat 4 tablespoons oil in the same pan. Add finely chopped onion and sauté until light brown.
- Add tomato-garlic paste and sauté on low flame until oil starts to separate or for approx. 4-5 minutes.
- Add dry red chilli powder and mix well. Add shallow fried potatoes, stir and cook for 3 minutes.
- Turn off flame and transfer prepared baby potatoes in a serving bowl. Lasaniya batata is ready. Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot.
Tips and Variations:
- Adjust garlic and dry red chilli quantity according to your palate’s capacity to handle spiciness. However, we believe that it should be enjoyed for its spiciness and its hotness should not be reduced.
- If you do not have baby potatoes, then take large normal potatoes, boil and cut them into small 1-inch cubes.
- Use Kashmiri red chillies to get nice red-hot color with less spiciness.
- Use more oil (6 tablespoons) if you are not worried about consuming too much fat while enjoying lasaniya aloo. It really improves the taste and texture.
Taste: Hot and spicy
Serving Ideas: Lasaniya batata is generally served with roti or paratha as a full meal. However, to enjoy its full flavor and if your palate can tolerate the heat, then enjoy it on its own or with fryums (wafers) and roasted peanuts as snack.