ELEMENTAL FOOD INGREDIENTS: INDIA
The jewel of South Asia, India has as many distinctive cuisines as it has cultures and geographical diversity. From the intensely hot dishes of the south, with influences of the tropical fruits and vegetables plentiful in that area, to the milder rich buttery dishes using the grains and pulses harvested from the great northern plains, India has more to offer than spice, although everyone does love a Jalfrezi. Katayama attempts to capture some of this vibrant and rich culinary history in its range of Indian food ingredients that will transport you to the spice markets of Kerala or to the bustling street food markets of Haryana.
Featured Recipe: Aloo Saag (Spicy Potatoes)
INGREDIENTS
Large potatoes, cut into 3cm cubes
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 knob butter
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 or 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon water
350g fresh or frozen spinach
Tip: Use Katayama’s crushed ginger and garlic as a convenient alternative to fresh. Leftover boiled potatoes can be used in place of fresh, a great way to use up those leftovers. You can also add more garam masala for a more spicy version. This is toned down for the kids.
Method
Prep: 10 minutes › Cook: 30 minutes › Ready in: 40 minutes
Boil the cubes of potato for between 8 to 12 minutes until tender. Start poking after 8 minutes to make sure they don’t over cook. Drain and put to one side.
Fry the cumin seeds with the knob of butter and oil, until the seeds are just starting to brown.
Add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger and fry until they start to brown.
Add the boiled potatoes, turmeric and garam masala and 1 tablespoon of water to moisten the dish.
Add the spinach and stir for 4 minutes until the spinach has wilted and the potatoes are just starting to crumble.
Serve.