South Indian Potatoes with Spinach & a Salad

South Indian Potatoes

3 tbsp oil

1 tsp brown mustard seeds

½ tsp urad dal

2 dried chillies

15 fresh curry leaves

1 small onion, chopped
1 medium tomato,chopped

2 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp cayenne

1 tsp Garam Masala

450g waxy potatoes in 2cm cubes

1 tsp salt

120ml coconut milk (canned)

Fresh coriander leaves

Spinach with Garlic

675g Spinach

3 tbsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 cloves garlic in long slivers

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cayenne

North Indian Cucumber Salad

1 cucumber, peeled

½ tsp salt

A few grinds pepper

¼ tsp cayenne

2 tsp lemon juice

6 mint leaves, chopped

Rice

A long ingredient list but this is 3 dishes – 4 if you include the rice. Lowell is up for the weekend and I want to impress him. As well as the above the table should have small bowls of mango chutney and lime pickle (bought). I’m kind of nervous as I haven’t seen him for a few weeks. This is warming but nothing too hot. The potatoes have a sauce, the spinach is dry and the salad is zingy.

Start with the potatoes. It’s a Northern Indian dish so woud usually be served with Naan bread but without a Tandoor oven these always taste too ‘bready’ so we’re having this with rice. I have a new CD with Asha Bhosle singing with Shujaat Khan, so that’s going on. Quite loud.

Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds, dried chillies and urad dal. When it splutters, add the curry leaves and onion. Cook until the onion starts to soften. Add the tomato, ground coriander, cayenne, and garam masala and stir it all through for a minute. Add the potato and 250ml water. Cook for 15-20 mins, until tender.

Lowell’s here – kiss him hello – he’s disoriented by the activity and the music. Pull a beer from the fridge and sit him down. Get him to peel the cucumber , halve it lengthways and slice it on the diagonal.

Put the rice on.

Wash the spinach, chop it and leave it to drain in a colander for a few minutes. In another pan heat the oil and add the cumin seed. When they jump, add the garlic. Stir briskly so it doesn’t catch and burn. Add the spinach, and cover the pan to wilt the spinach. After a few minutes, add the salt and cayenne and remove the lid to boil any liquid off.

Back to the potatoes – add the coconut milk and chopped coriander.  That’s both dishes done.

Help Lowell finish off the salad – Stir in all the remaining salad ingredients and toss well.

Serve on large plates – with the chutney & pickles he’ll have 6 flavours on his plate, all of them strong but nothing too hot. We’ve got into the habit of eating on cushions on the carpet. I want him to think of his time with me as different from everyday. I think I’m getting there. Lowell is in a kissy mood. I needn't have worried. Asha Bhosle has presided over hundreds of Bollywood movies, I light a coconut incense stick in the bedroom. I light it as much for her as for us.