I am posting this recipe because I got quite a few requests for it when I reviewed Monica Bhide’s latest book, Modern Spice. Monica‘s friend Vrinda cooks potatoes like this and so she calls them V’s Ps!
When I first saw this recipe in the book, it looked a lot like one of the potato “curries” I make, so I’m very sure Monica‘s friend is a south Indian. My own version is traditional south Indian style of cooking potatoes and doesn’t include garlic, but I have to say that garlic really adds to this recipe.
Monica says her friend Vrinda** doesn’t consider herself a “real” cook in the style of exotic, stylish and gourmet cooking.
I guess each of us has our own idea of what a “real” cook is, but like Monica I also think that anyone who puts in their effort and love into cooking up tasty and satisfying food is the “real” cook.
This is a very simple yet tasty way of cooking potatoes. I did change a few small things in the recipe when I made this for my convenience and to suit our taste. I am adding this in brackets wherever applicable, in a different colour.
Monica's Friend V's Ps! And There's A Winner Of The Cookbook Giveaway!!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsps vegetable oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 4 chillie whole dried
- 3 cloves garlic crushed (1/2 tsp paste),
- 1/2 kg baby potatoes , peeled and (1 pound) quartered
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 8 to 10 curry leaves fresh
- 2 tbsps cilantro minced
- to taste salt
Instructions
- In a large lidded skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to crackle, add the red chillies.
- Add the garlic and potatoes and sautxe9 for about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the turmeric and mix well. Add the curry leaves and cilantro and cook foe another minute.
- Add the salt to taste and about 2 tbsps of water. Cover and cook over low heat until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Serve hot. This recipe serves 4.
- I made a couple of changes to the recipe in the cooking. I reduced the garlic a bit because we do not like the flavour of garlic too much; just a faint hint of it was fine for us.
- I added the chopped cilantro at the end after the cooking was done.
- I also cooked my potatoes in the microwave till they were just done and then added them to the pan. This meant that it took less time to cook up this dish and so I added just a splash of water instead of the 2 tbsp.
I'm Aparna and My Diverse Kitchen is my ovo-lacto vegetarian food blog where you'll find recipes, food stories & photography. I've been blogging since 2007 and believe the kitchen, and the dining table (by extension) is really the heart of a home. 
I love such simple sabzis… love how the potatoes glisten in the picture 🙂
Indhu above said it all for me!
Dear Aparna,Happy Holidays & Happy New year to you and your loved ones.
Thats yet another simple recipe to make potatoes.Congrats Madhuli.
simple n yummy curry….congrats to the winner..
Aparna, I LOVE potatoes, especially with lots of spices, and these look delicious!That said, I wanted to wish you and yours a happy and healthy holiday! *hugs*
Done in a kadai, the subzi looks inviting.
Congratulations to the winner!Potato curry looks yummmy..waiting for your blog’s new look.
THanks for posting my recipe. My friend is actually not South Indian but like me, a punjabi 🙂
wow, the potato curry looks very cute, nice click you know!!, and congragulations Madhuli
Potatoes look delicious..this is a typical Maharashtrian style of cooking .. Wishing you and your family..Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!Congratulations madhuli!
Hi,Happy Christmas.Love,Herrad
Welcome back Aparna. Hope you are OK. Love the potatoes from MS…very nice indeed & great picture too!Lucky Madhuli…what a wonderful book that is! I love Beatrice O’s recipes.
I have made this recipe many times and it is agreat accompaniment with dhals and kadhi.My mum used to deep fry the potatoes prior to stir frying them and resulted in lovely crispy out side and fluffy poatao insisde but due to health reasons I microwave potatoes before stir frying.
This is amongst my son’s faves!Congrats to Madhuli:)
Welcome back, Aparna and hope all is well. We’ve all been thinking of you! The way you prepared these potatoes is lovely and a great change for what we usually serve.Happy Holidays to you!
I love simple potato dishes such as this. It looks so yummy and the picture speaks for itself already.
Thanks for posting. They looks so good. I’ll have to make them 🙂
Yes it is a lovely book. Lucky Madhuli! :)Really, Monica. I thought the name and the tadka were very south Indian-ish. I was wrong. 🙂