Potatoes are the backbone of Indian cuisine, cheap, rich in energy and omnipresent. They are used in every type of dish, and every culture in India uses them.
This is a very contemporary salad with modern flavours. The salad has a base of baby potatoes that are dressed in a spicy and sweet pineapple chutney and topped with almonds and pomegranate seeds. the combinations are bold and fun, with all the flavours coming together on your palate. this is an unusual salad but one that is lovely.
Vineet Bhatia moved to London in 1993 with little more than a suitcase full of books, a lofty ambition, his love of Indian cuisine and a passion for cooking. Fast-forward a few years, and Vineet is now a globally renowned chef and seen as the face of progressive modern Indian cuisine, having published successful cookery books, recorded multiple TV series, opened several restaurants across the globe and is the first Indian chef-patron to be been awarded a Michelin star. This is a very contemporary Indian cookbook filled with fantastic recipes. Most recipes tend to be complex, but occasionally, there will be simpler ones, like this one. However, the recipes are wonderful, packed with flavour and beautifully balanced.
For more recipes from this amazing cookbook, click here.
Ingredients:
1 lb baby potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups water
2-3 shallots, finely minced
1 green chilli, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
1/2 teaspoon chaat masala, or to taste
2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon tamarind chutney
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon dried ginger powder
Salt, to taste
Baby arugula
1/2 cup almonds, lightly toasted and chopped along teir length
For the pineapple chutney:
2 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1/2 pineapple, diced
1 cup water
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon pepper
Salt, to taste
Sugar, as needed
1 teaspoon ground green cardamom
To make the chutney: Heat the oil in a pot and add the fennel seeds. sauté for 10 seconds till they colour lightly. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute till the ginger no longer smells raw.
Add the pineapple and water and bring to a boil. Simmer till the water is almost completely evaporated, you should have a wet sticky mess. Cool completely and blitz in a small blender till you have a coarse mix.
Remove into a bowl and add the vinegar, pepper, salt, and cardamom. Mix well and taste for sweetness adjusting with more sugar if needed.
The chutney can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Add the potatoes and salt to a pot with the water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 25-40 minutes till the potatoes are soft. Remove and cool completely.
I like to leave the skins of the potatoes on, but you can peel them if desired. Toss the potatoes 3 tablespoons of the pineapple chutney and the rest of the ingredients, except the arugula. taste for salt and sweetness and adjust as needed.
Line a large bowl with the arugula. Top with the potato salad and garnish with the almonds. Serve at room temperature.