Pan-fried potatoes with browned onions

Indian Cooking 201 — Recipe #2: Pan-roasted potatoes with Browned onions

Indian Roasted Potatoes with Browned Onions

Indian Cooking 201 — In this lesson you’ll give your everyday roasted potatoes an Indian twist  

Objectives:
  • You’ll learn a versatile recipe that can utilize any kind of potato you like and be served as a side dish to an Indian meal or with ketchup alongside your favorite hamburger for an interesting change 
  • You’ll learn how to make a major staple in Indian cooking that will serve you well for many dishes to come: browned onions
  • As with all 201 level recipes, you will continue to learn how to make authentic Indian dishes using mostly ground spices that you can find at your local supermarket (no need to go to an Indian grocer quite yet)
  • You will continue to master my 5-10-5 Rule — a cheat sheet I created for my husband Sean listing the basic things you need in your pantry to make a variety of delicious Indian dishes

Like many other cuisines, potatoes are a major staple in Indian cuisine, and for good reason: they are affordable, keep for at least a week or two in your pantry, and are easy to prepare. A good potato dish can be among the most wonderful additions to a great meal — think of creamy, buttery mashed potatoes with meatloaf, or crispy, golden roasted potatoes with a standing rib roast (with yorkshire pudding and gravy of course, one of Sean’s favorites!). Today, you will make a potato dish using two standard Indian ingredients: cumin seeds and turmeric. Along with some canola or vegetable oil, a large skillet, and a big appetite, this dish is a winner every time. There is something very satisfying about eating roasted potatoes with browned onions. Moreover, browned onions show up in many Indian dishes, particularly North Indian dishes — elegant basmati rice dishes called pulaos and biryanis routinely call for roasted onions to be folded into the rice at the end just before serving, lending a buttery, smoky set of flavors to the rice–so there is good reason to master them! The browned onions will also keep for a week or two in a tight container in the fridge to be used in a variety of dishes.

Pan-roasted Potatoes with Browned Onions (adapted)

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 pounds small potatoes (24 oz)
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 medium onions, sliced into very fine half-rings
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

  1. Leaving the skin on, wipe the potatoes down with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Cut each potato lengthwise into quarters.
  2. First prep the onions: heat oil in a large, non-stick skillet on medium-high. Add all the sliced onions, stirring for 5 minutes. Continue to saute, turning the heat down a little, until the onions are reddish-brown. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and spread them out on a large platter lined with paper towel.
  3. In the same skillet, add the cumin seeds; once they sizzle (should be almost immediately), add the potatoes, cayenne, turmeric, and salt. Mix well and cover tightly with lid. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, giving it a stir now and then. Reduce heat to very low, stir again, and cover. Cook gently for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are almost done, checking on it frequently.
  4. Remove the onions from the oily paper towel and spread them out over fresh paper towels. Spread them over the potatoes during the last few minutes of cooking.
Ingredients for Indian Roasted Potatoes with Browned Onions

From left to right: potatoes, onions, turmeric, red chilli flakes, salt, canola oil, cumin seeds

Sliced onions in hot oil on stovetop

When the oil is hot, add all the sliced onions and begin sautéing

Browning sliced onions in hot oil on stovetop
Sauteing sliced onions until they are reddish-brown

Saute the onions until they are reddish-brown

Reddish-brown onions spread out on a platter lined with paper towel

When the onions are reddish-brown, remove them with a slotted spoon and spread them out on a large platter lined with paper towel

Roasting potatoes with spices in a frying pan

When you add the potatoes, cayenne, turmeric, and salt, mix well and cook gently until the potatoes are almost done

Beautiful pan-roasted potatoes with browned onions!

Beautiful pan-roasted potatoes with browned onions!