tibetan potato curry

filed under:
potatoes garlic tomatoes onion

Delicious recipes are included in each issue of the South Anchorage Farmers' Market Newsletter, be sure to sign up!
subscribe to newsletter via rss • subscribe to recipes via rss • subscribe to newsletter via email
download the print-friendly version of this recipe

Whenever I’m feeling in a bit of cooking rut, I look to a culture I know very little about. The cuisine of Tibet is somewhat mysterious to Westerners. One of my favorite cookbooks, The Whole Chile Pepper Book by Dave DeWitt and Nancy Gerlach is a great source when I feel like having something spicy too.  You can control the heat factor to suit your taste.

1 tablespoon chopped small green chile such as jalapeno chiles
½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds or curry powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 medium tomato, diced
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 pound potatoes, peeled, diced, and cooked

1.  Heat the fenugreek seeds in the oil until they brown.  If using curry powder, heat it in the oil just until fragrant. Stir in the chile, onion, garlic, and ginger and simmer until the onions are soft.
2.  Add the tomatoes and turmeric, and heat.  Place the mixture in a blender and puree until smooth.
3.  Gently mix the sauce with the potatoes and serve.

Fenugreek seeds can also be sprouted just like alfalfa seeds.  The sprouts will have a curry like flavor with a slight bitter edge. You can find them at Summit Spice & Tea Co. on the corner of Huffman and Old Seward.