Assam dairy: Aloo dal and Aloo Jhura (Simple and Rustic Potato Recipes)

On our visit to Assam we were staying in our relatives' house in Cachar. It is a village house and on the eve of our visit the whole family gathered there. And we, all the ladies of the house, were spending most of the daytime in the big kitchen that can easily accommodate a small dwelling of our modern city apartments! There were women of all ages .... talking, laughing, gossiping and working hand in hand. Before we realize the array of foods are ready to be served! It was all so fun!

One day I noticed a big cane basket in one corner of the kitchen full of tiny potatoes. ... after the harvesting session these mini potatoes are available in the market for a couple of weeks only! And they have a few recipes in store to make with these babies ...Aloo Dal is one of them. Another one was Aloo Jhura. Though the recipes are very simple but they vouch over the fact that these will never taste the same if you try to make them any other time of the year!
I just noted down the recipes as I saw didimoni was cooking them. But no measurement here ..... I didn't dare to ask such silly things to those kitchen queens! So here is how she cooked them .....

Aloo Dal Recipe (A Potato Curry Recipe That Resembles Lentil Soup)

Nope ... This is not a dal with potato cubes in it rather a very simple potato curry with no lentils at all. I heard about and ate it for the first time there in Assam and got bowled over by the simple rustic taste when served over steaming hot rice with some crunchy fritter on side .... the meal was so delicious!

• First wash and boil the potatoes in plenty of water.
• Now the most tedious part ..... peel and roughly break those tiny potatoes. It was a huge pile .... would easily take half a day for a single person .... but we were in a group ... talking, laughing and enjoying every bit of it in that brightly sun lit kitchen!

• Also cut some eggplants in small pieces and smear with little salt and turmeric powder.
• Now heat some mustard oil in a kadai. First fry the eggplants and keep aside.

• Add more oil if required. Add seasoning of dry red chilies and panchphoron (whole five spices) with little extra jeera as didimoni suggested. Then add the potatoes and fry for some time till it gets a light golden brown coating on it.

• Now add salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder and slitted green chilies. 
• Add enough hot water to give it a soupy consistency and let it boil for sometime.

• With a masher or dal ghutni give everything a good mix.

• Finally add the fried eggplant pieces and finish with a dollop of ghee ..... stir and take off the heat.

Serve over rice just like dal. I ate it twice there (it's a delicacy worth serving for guests!) second time in another relatives house who is also a great cook. She didn't mix the eggplant pieces to the dal rather served it as big crunchy fritter on side .... so that is another option.

Aloo Jhura (another Simple Potato Fry Recipe)

This is actually a very simple Aloo Bhaji or Aloo Chokha recipe cooked in a slightly different manner.

• First boil and break the potatoes roughly by hand. No need to peel ..... saves lots of time and nutrients too!

• Take the potatoes in a big bowl. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder to taste.
• Chop onions and slit green chilies. Add to the potatoes.

• Now mash and mix everything lightly using your hand.

• Heat enough mustard oil in a kadai. Add the potato mix, stir and cover.
• Time to time open the lid and give everything a good mix.

• Keep cooking on low to medium heat until the potatoes absorb all the spices and get a nice golden brown and crispy outer surface.
• The final dish will be a dry bhaji with a little charred flavor.

Enjoy as a side with steamed rice and light masoor dal. Shall I suggest a slice of Bengali Gandharaj lime or Assames Kazi Nemu on side too!

That's it ..... as simple as that! This the the beauty of the simple village style cooking. Simple but fresh and seasonal ingredients makes the difference. And perhaps some other factors like the wood fire, iron kadai .... and most importantly how they respect their foods contribute to the magic! I am yet to try them here in Bangalore with the soft months years old baby potatoes that we get in city stores! The dish is sure to miss that earthy flavor of the fresh winter produce and also the warmth of the family dining!

Try the recipes with the Notun Aloo (new winter crop of potatoes) on the onset of winter and sit for a simple comforting meal!