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Aloo sadeko
Spiced potato salad
आलु सादेको (aloo sadeko): boiled potatoes dressed with smoking mustard oil, fenugreek, timur, chilli, sesame and lime
Sadeko means marinated, and aloo sadeko is the sharp, tingly potato salad served in every khaja ghar, the little snack houses round Asan Tole and New Road, as afternoon khaja beside beaten rice and a cup of tea. Cool boiled potatoes are dressed with mustard oil heated with fenugreek seeds until they turn dark and nutty, then timur (Nepal's numbing Sichuan pepper), green chilli, toasted sesame and lots of lime. Contains sesame and mustard. Chef's tip: fry the fenugreek seeds until reddish-brown, not black; burnt fenugreek makes the whole bowl bitter.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb waxy potatoes
- 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 1 red onionsmall, thinly sliced
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh gingergrated
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 3 tbsp mustard oil
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 3 tbsp coriander leaveschopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Boil 1 ⅓ lb waxy potatoes in their skins for 15–20 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Drain, cool until you can handle them, then peel and cut into 2 cm cubes.
20 minStep 2: Toast 2 tbsp white sesame seeds in a dry pan over a medium heat for 2 minutes until golden, then grind coarsely.
3 minStep 3: Put the potatoes in a bowl with 1 red onion, 2 green chillies, 1 tsp fresh ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp ground Sichuan pepper (timur), ¾ tsp salt, 2 tbsp lime juice and the sesame.
2 minStep 4: Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a small pan until it just smokes, then take off the heat for 30 seconds. Add ½ tsp fenugreek seeds and stir until reddish-brown, then ¼ tsp ground turmeric and 3 dried red chillies for 10 seconds. Common mistake: leaving the fenugreek too long; once black it is bitter.
2 minStep 5: Pour the sizzling oil over the potatoes, toss well, taste for salt and lime, and fold in 3 tbsp coriander leaves. Serve at room temperature.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does aloo sadeko take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of waxy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of white sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
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