Aloo Chutney: Tangy Potato Chutney

A recipe from my grandmother’s kitchen – a tangy aloo chutney laced with mustard. The original version is made with jimikand (yam) instead of potatoes, and as those of us who cook with yam know, that vegetable is tricky to handle raw. And so we switch to the friendlier, more accessible tuber. Potato chutney is just as good and is super easy to make.

In Bihar, aloo chutney is popularly served with a dish called "pitha" – steamed rice flour dumplings stuffed with a chana dal mixture. This chutney would also pair well with other dal stuffed snacks like kachoris.

You Need:

• Potatoes – 2 medium
• Lime juice – 1 tablespoon
• Ginger – 1 inch stick
• Green chilies – 2
• Red chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon (adjust to taste)
• Turmeric powder – a pinch
• Salt – to taste
• Water – 1/2 cup
• Mustard oil – 1 tablespoon

How To Make Aloo Chutney:

Boil the potatoes. Peel and mash.

Chop ginger and green chilies into tiny bits. If you want them finer, pound them in a mortar and pestle.

In the picture above: Mashed potatoes with the dry spices – turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt; flanked on the left by lime, chopped ginger and green chilies; on the right by jar of salt and bottle of mustard oil.

Add to the mashed potatoes turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, lime juice, chopped ginger and green chilies, mustard oil and water. Mix well. Taste and adjust the ingredients to suit your taste.

Aloo chutney is meant to be somewhat chunky – do not use the grinder but whisk with a spoon till the consistency is even.

Let the chutney rest for 3-4 hours before serving. When refrigerated, aloo chutney stays good for a couple of days.

Serve potato chutney on the side with an Indian meal, or as an accompaniment with pitha, kachori and other dal-stuffed delicacies.

Meal below: dal parathas, homemade dahi, katachi amti, aloo chutney, fresh tomato wedges.

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