What d you do with extra mashed potatoes, mustard greens and some eggs that seem to be languishing at the back of the fridge? Here is the dish I created.
This dish is a variation of the few potato cakes and pancakes I have recently been experimenting with. I wanted to give it Indian flavours but stay away from the traditional aloo tiki from North India.
The dish was lovely. The mustard greens add tons of flavour that are enhanced by the chilli and the mild spices. The dish is not super spicy but well-balanced. I also added the eggs on top, rather than folding them into the pancake, more for visual effect rather than anything else. The eggs add the protein that makes the pancake satisfying. This dish can be served at breakfast or brunch, or even as a side for dinner.
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Ingredients:
1 large potato
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 + 2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, sliced
1 green chill, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
12 large mustard green leaves, stemmed and finely chopped
Salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2-3 eggs
Peel and cube the potatoes into large chunks. bring the water to a boil and add the salt and potatoes. Boil for 15 minutes till the potato is soft. Drain and mash the potatoes till smooth. Set aside.
While the potatoes are cooking, add the oil to a large frying pan and sautè the onions and green chillies on low heat till the onions are soft and translucent about 4-5 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, and garam masala and mix well. Add the mustard greens and salt and cook for 5-7 minutes till the greens are wilted and soft. Dry out the liquids in the pan over the stove. Taste for salt and flavours. Keep the same pan for later.
Mix the mashed potatoes and cooked greens well, hands are best till evenly mixed.
Preheat the broiler placing a rack on the top-most rung.
Pour the remaining oil into the same frying pan and add the potato mix flattening it out into a pancake. Make 2-3 depressions in the pancake to the bottom of the pancake so you can see the pan. Break the eggs into the depressions so the yolks are in the holes and the whites spread out over the potato mix. Fry on low heat till you see the edges get a little brown.
Transfer the pan to the rack and broil for 2-4 minutes till the whites are set and the yolks are still runny if you like the yolks runny. remove and gently shake the pan to dislodge the pancake. carefully slide the pancake into a large plate or cutting board and serve immediately topped with additional large grain Himalayan salt and pepper.