Now that we are well into the pandemic, cooking at home has become a necessity. I have been venturing out to eat at restaurants with patios here in Los Angeles about once a week now that restaurants are back open. Sometimes it’s just nice to stay in and make meals that you grew up with. Potato curry was my favorite dish growing up. I still request it quite frequently when I’m at my parents’ place. My mom knows potatoes are my thing and has several potato dishes that she usually makes for me. Potatoes are the most versatile pantry staple and can be prepared for every meal of the day. It’s always good to have them on hand. There’s nothing more comforting after a long day than hot and spicy potatoes with naan or chapatis. When I make these potatoes, I look forward to eating them for dinner all week. They’re so full of spicy flavors and really satisfy my carb craving! I use an immersion blender to make the sauce less chunky but this is an optional step. Using fresh ingredients makes for a tastier dish but you can also substitute with canned tomatoes and ginger powder if needed. Once you’ve boiled and peeled your potatoes, this dish comes together pretty quickly. Make sure your potatoes are boiled all the way through. They are cooked when a fork can easily go through the potato. I prefer to use a big sauce pan to cook things like potatoes. My favorite one is big enough that vegetables cook really fast in it. You can find it here. Potatoes really absorb spices, so if you prefer less spicy food then I recommend using only a 1/4 teaspoon or less of cayenne pepper. It’s easier to have all of your vegetables prepped and your spices measured and ready to go before turning on the stove. Prepping makes cooking so much less chaotic – plus you will have less to clean up and put away when you’re finished. I have a Boos Block cutting board that just sits on my counter top permanently. I use it almost every day to prep veggies and fruits. It’s an investment but worth it. You can find it here. Curried dishes go really well with Indian bread such as naan or chapati. I usually buy my naan or chapatis at the store. Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have really delicious naan. Potato curry is also delicious with jasmin rice. Indian curries pair well with red wine such as pinot noir. If you’re serving these potatoes for dinner, you could also add some lentil curry to make a hearty dinner plate! Check out my red lentil curry recipe here. Indian food may seem intimidating to cook at first because of all the spices, but it’s really quite easy to make. I like to make big batches for Sunday food prep so I can relax and quickly heat up a delicious meal on weeknights when time is limited. If you make potato curry make sure you post a picture and tag @thefriendlyepicurean on Instagram.

Credit: This recipe is loosely based on a recipe Bombay Potatoes by Anjum Anand, from Anjum’s Indian Vegetarian Feast