Potato Podimas / Urulaikilangu Podimas

Potatoes are the favorites of kids and even adults. There are huge varieties of potato dishes prepared in India, different states and regions prepare potatoes in a different way. Indian spices, obviously makes the potatoes more yummier!!! It is a comfort food because of the ease to cook potatoes. Potatoes are well known to give energy due to the rich Carbohydrate content, and is also a good source of Vitamin B6, it is fat free, cholesterol free. Only fried potatoes or chips can harm your cholesterol level. So it is always better to, not avoid, but limit deep fried food items. But at the same time any home cooked Indian food is obviously healthy!!!!! This Podimas is a simple potato side-dish which can be accompanied with curd rice, sambar rice, etc. It is a common Indian recipe which is so nutritious and healthy, so how to prepare this Indian Food Recipe? Lets see;

INGREDIENTS

1. Potatoes - 3
2. Big onions - 2
3. Green chillies - 1 (or) Red chilli powder - 1 spoon
4. Turmeric powder - A pinch
5. Ginger - 1 inch long piece
6. Garlic - 1 pod
7. Curry leaves - few
8. Urad dal/Black gram/Ulutham paruppu - 1 spoon
9. Mustard seeds - 1/2 spoon
10. Salt
11. Oil

PREPARATION METHOD

• Wash potatoes well to remove dirt and mud and cut it into two halves.
• In a sauce pan/any cooking pan add water and the cut potatoes, let it boil for few minutes until the potato gets cooked. 
• Remove the skin from the potatoes and mash them well using a big spoon. Do not make a paste but coarsely smash it and keep it aside.
• In a frying pan add 3 spoons of oil and splutter mustard seeds, then add the urad dal/black gram/ulutham paruppu and fry until it turns slight brownish in color.
• Now add finely chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies and fry slightly.
• Then add the chopped onions and fry until it turns slightly brown.
• Now add the red chilli powder (do not add red chilli powder if you use green chillies), turmeric powder, salt and fry until the raw smell goes away.
• Add the smashed potatoes and stir well.
• Cook for 2 minutes and serve with Rice, poori or roti.

TIP 1: If you do not like the addition of green chillies substitute it with red chilli powder. 

TIP 2: Garlic and ginger pieces can also be avoided if you do not want them,  but adding them increases the flavor and aroma. Or you can make a paste of it and then use it. 

TIP 3: In the same way you can also make sweet potato podimas, it will be more yummy!!

TIP 4: Add skinned urad dhal/black gram to get crunchy bites while eating. 

Yummy Potato Podimas / Urulaikilangu Podimas is now ready. You can also have it with poori and roti, goes well with rice varieties also!!!