The Weekend Platter 🍽️ Two Irresistible Potato Delights

Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Serves: 3–4

Ingredients

• 3 medium potatoes

• 3 tbsp cornflour

• 2 tbsp rice flour

• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

• 1 small capsicum, sliced

• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup

• 1 tsp red chilli sauce

• 1 tsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp honey (optional)

• Oil for frying

• Spring onions and sesame seeds for garnish

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin fingers. Wash, drain and pat them dry.

2. Coat the potato fingers with cornflour, rice flour, salt and pepper.

3. Deep-fry in hot oil until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

4. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan. Sauté the garlic and capsicum for a minute.

5. Add tomato ketchup, chilli sauce, soy sauce and honey. Mix well.

6. Toss the crispy potatoes in the sauce until evenly coated.

7. Garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Chef’s tip: For extra crunch, fry the potatoes twice—once until nearly cooked and again just before tossing them in the sauce.

Spicy Aloo Tandoori Tikka

A flavourful Indian starter featuring tender potatoes coated in a spiced yoghurt marinade.

Preparation time: 15 minutes Marination time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 20–25 minutes Serves: 3–4

Ingredients

• 500 g baby potatoes

• ½ cup thick yoghurt

• 1 tbsp gram flour (besan)

• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

• ½ tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp coriander powder

• ½ tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp chaat masala

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp oil

• Salt to taste

• Fresh coriander and mint chutney for serving

Method

1. Boil the baby potatoes until just tender. Drain, peel if desired, and prick them lightly with a fork.

2. In a bowl, combine yoghurt, gram flour, ginger-garlic paste, all the spices, lemon juice, oil and salt.

3. Add the potatoes and coat them thoroughly with the marinade. Leave for 20 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

5. Arrange the potatoes on a lightly greased baking tray and roast for 20–25 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and slightly charred.

6. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with mint chutney and lemon wedges.

Chef’s tip: For a smoky flavour, finish the roasted potatoes on a hot grill pan for 2–3 minutes.

Serving suggestion for Weekend Platter: Serve the crispy chilli potatoes with a spicy dip and the aloo tikka with mint chutney. Together, they offer a delicious combination of Indo-Chinese crunch and traditional Indian spices.

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