Deep Purple... Potatoes? Recipe

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I'm in the midst of preparing an Indian feast. I have been cooking all day today. Company is coming tomorrow. An old boarding school buddy of my husbands' who coincidentally happens to be a mutual friend of several friends of mine in LA, is coming for Sunday lunch.
She's out in California from Marthas' Vineyard. She's trading the big East coast blizzard for our rainy weather and she'sgetting Indian food.
Since Jemima reads this blog and does not want to know what she's getting tomorrow...I'm going to be talking about something she's not getting. Heirloom potatoes.
About a month ago I discovered there are more colors, shades and shapes of heirloom potatoes than one can shake a masher at. All of these potatoes are grown locally which makes the locovore in me happy. All of them (at least the ones I've tried so far) are delicious.
The last time I cooked heirlooms they were from Blankity Blank Farms. This time the potatoes were from a friend of his, Tom Kirkland, of Tommy Boy Organic Farms.
I have to admit when I saw the amazing variety of potatoes I was knocked out! What to pick!? I selected some Huckleberrys (for later) and for today some All Blues which are actually a very very deep and vivid purple.
The All Blues make a great baking potato, and one of the recommended ways of using them is to mash them. I can only guess how thrilled kids would be to find a pile of purple mashed potatoes on their plate right alongside their green eggs and ham. Eating would be fun!
Actually the stuff that makes these potatoes purple also makes them very good for you. According to the research I read these All Blues are old, old old, probably the closest relative to the original potaoes found up in the Andes of Peru 10,000 years ago. And for those who don't want their leafy greens, take a look at this:

Blue-fleshed potatoes have more vitamins and antioxidants than white potatoes. In fact, All Blue potatoes have as much antioxidant power as Brussels sprouts, kale, and spinach.

The one important thing to remember when cooking these potatoes is to add a bit of vinegar to the cooking process so that they keep their brilliant color!
I decided to make Sookhe Aloo, a simple Indian "dry"potato dish which I first learned years and years ago from Madhur Jaffreys' An Invitation To Indian Cooking. This dish is sort of an Indian style potato salad. It can be eaten warm at a sit-down meal or cold on a picnic.

Prep time:
Cook time:
Servings: 4 servings
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Ingredients

Cost per serving $0.82 view details

Directions

  1. Boil in salted water with 2 Tbs of white vinegar 1 lb of All Blue Potatoes for about 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.
  2. In a skillet or kadhai heat about 3 Tbs of oil
  3. When the oil is hot add in your fennel, cumin, mustard seed and fenugreek
  4. When the seeds start to darken add
  5. 3 whole dried red peppers
  6. When the red peppers start to darken add the diced potatoes
  7. 1/2 tsp of turmeric, and 1 and 1/2 tsps of salt
  8. Turn the heat down to medium and stir fry for about 15 minutes or so.
  9. The potatoes will turn crispy.
  10. Squeeze 1 Tbs of lemon juice over the potatoes and serve.

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Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving %DV
Serving Size 79g
Recipe makes 4 servings
Calories 32  
Calories from Fat 6 19%
Total Fat 0.68g 1%
Saturated Fat 0.05g 0%
Trans Fat 0.0g  
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Potassium 190mg 5%
Total Carbs 5.7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2.0g 7%
Sugars 3.24g 2%
Protein 1.14g 2%
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Reviews

  • Frank Fariello
    Incredible color! How's the flavor, same as a regular potato?
    • Nick Roche
      I saw this on FB and meant to comment on it. This looks very good. I've purchased the little purple potato before but never fixed it like this. I'll have to try it.
      • madonna del piatto
        Fantastic and gorgeous looking recipe. I can smell how fragrant it must be even just looking at it. Will try.
        • Kristi Rimkus
          Wonderful. I love the color!
          • Chetana Suvarna Ganatra
            Hi Kathy,
            Banged into ur space whilst browsing....I never made a sabzi out of tis wonderful spud tho always used as a jacket potato... thought it is no good for Indian cuisine ...but it amazes me now.. hw clumsy I was not to try it!!!
            Thks fr sharing ur recipe n love tat deep purple color...sure to please all.

            Comments

            • ShaleeDP
              August 25, 2015
              I like potatoes and sweet potatoes. this looks nice.
              • Catherine Pappas
                April 21, 2010
                Sounds really wonderful Kathy! I love the picture and the spices who mixed together. Fabulous~
                • kathy gori
                  February 11, 2010
                  yikes! didn't know that.they are pretty though.
                  • Citronetvanille
                    February 11, 2010
                    Love those potatoes, they're actually higher in carb than the other ones, but I love their color on a plate
                    1 reply
                  • kathy gori
                    February 8, 2010
                    yes,in fact they are said to make a superior mashing potato.In fact they tasted more like bakers than boilers.

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