POTATOES

POTATO AND PEA CURRY

This is the type of dish where you don’t have to plan ahead, as most, if not all, of the ingredients are everyday staples. As they cook, the potatoes absorb the curry flavours and help to slightly thicken the sauce.

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes | COOKING TIME: 30 minutes | SERVES: 6

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) potatoes, peeled

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onions, sliced

1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon mild curry powder

1½ cups (375 ml/13 fl oz) chicken stock

1 cup (155 g/5½ oz) garden peas

sea salt flakes

½ cup (130 g/4½ oz) natural yoghurt

3 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander (cilantro)

Cut the potatoes into large chunks and cook in a large pan of lightly salted water for about 4 minutes, or just until tender.

Heat the oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat and add the onions, chilli, ginger, cumin seeds and curry powder. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are golden and the mixture is fragrant.

Add the potatoes with the stock, stir a couple of times and then gently simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender (if they are overcooked, they will be mushy). Add the peas and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Whisk the yoghurt in a small bowl. Scoop out about ¼ cup of the curry sauce and stir it into the yoghurt well, then pour back into the pan with the coriander (this stage prevents curdling). Stir once to blend, remove the pan from the heat and serve with grilled meat, fish or poultry.

TIP A handful of raw cashews will fill the crunch gap.

Frozen peas can be used and added without thawing.