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Batata nu rasawalu shaak

Potato curry in thin gravy

બટાકાનું રસાવાળું શાક: thin sweet-tangy Gujarati potato and tomato curry for puri

Batata nu rasawalu shaak is the potato curry that arrives with hot puris at Gujarati wedding breakfasts, Sunday brunches and festival thalis, and it is one of the first curries children in Gujarat love. Soft potato chunks float in a thin, red, sweet-and-sour gravy with mustard seed, curry leaves and hing, lightly spicy and very comforting. Serve with puri, rotli or plain rice. The usual mistake is cutting the potatoes in uneven pieces, so some fall apart while others stay hard; cut them all the same size. Chef's tip: once the potatoes are cooked, mash a few against the side of the pan; the starch gives the rasa (gravy) body without any flour.
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

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What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (5)

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a pressure cooker or heavy pot over a medium heat. Add the 1 tsp mustard seeds and, when it pops, the ½ tsp cumin seeds, ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida and 8 curry leaves for 10 seconds.

    2 min
  2. Step 2: Add the 1 tbsp green chilli and ginger paste and 2 tomatoes and cook for 4 minutes until the tomatoes soften. Stir in the ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and 1 ½ tsp coriander-cumin powder.

    4 min
  3. Step 3: Add the 1 ⅛ lb potatoes, 2 ½ cups water and 1 ¼ tsp salt. Pressure-cook for 2 whistles (about 8 minutes) and let the pressure drop, or cover and simmer in a pot for 15 minutes.

    12 min
  4. Step 4: Check the potatoes: a cube should crush easily with a spoon. Mash a few against the side of the pot, add the 1 ½ tbsp jaggery and 1 tbsp lemon juice and simmer uncovered for 3 minutes until the gravy is lightly thickened but still thin and soupy.

    3 min
  5. Step 5: Taste: it should be sweet, sour and gently hot. Scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve with hot puri.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
210 kcal
Protein
4 g
Carbs
36 g
Fat
7 g
Fibre
4 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does batata nu rasawalu shaak 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.
What can I use instead of mustard seeds?
Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).

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