Little Bang Theory

Here’s my attempt at one of the beautifully simple Indian dishes I enjoy when I eat out, Indian-Style:

It’s Aloo Pratha. “Aloo” means potato, and “Pratha” is a stuffed bread. When I’ve had this eating out, the bread was stuffed prior to baking with cooked potatoes, onions and green peas (onions optional, fairlane .) The result is a savory and hearty bread, best eaten with a dipping “chutney.”

Well, you know, I’m both busy and lazy. And I have no facility with baking breads, though I’m looking forward to trying a recipe forwarded to me by Sherry over at After The Bridge.

So I found some nice little whole-wheat pitas, slit them open on one side with kitchen shears, and stuffed them with a curry-spiced mix of potatoes and onions from my garden and lots of frozen peas. Then I pan-fried them in extra-virgin olive oil ’till golden brown on the outside. (I kind of butchered them in the flipping process, but you know, I never did this before, so I’m happy landing somewhere south of perfection.)

While the spuds were cooking I made a Mint Chutney, from a recipe generously shared with me by the Matron/Owner of India House Restaurant in Northampton.

That’s a story worthy of another post, but I’m lazy, remember? So here’s the Readers’ Digest Version:

After having the Mint Chutney at India House, I went home and tried to duplicate it from my palate memory, which is how I cook.

The result: nada. A Gastronomic Null Set.

So next visit, I swallowed my pride and asked.

“What did you try?” queried our hostess, a barely-suppressed smile playing on her abundant lips, a wicked twinkle escaping her lively eyes.

When I told her, she nearly doubled over with laughter, much to the alarm of the other diners in the place.

When at last she had composed herself and wiped the tears from her eyes (yeah, I was that far off) she gave me the recipe:

Into a blender or food processor, put equal parts fresh mint and cilantro. Add as much jalepeño peppers as you like (in my case, again, equal parts) and a splash of water, or as I do, plain yogurt, to allow you to purée to a smooth consistency. Add a pinch of salt (well, OK, a big pinch,) and you’re there.

I’ve made the Mint Chutney many times before, and enjoyed it with papadum, Indian lentil crackers, and various types of garlic-sodden flat-breads, but this was my first pass at Aloo Pratha.

I’m eating it as I type, and people, I couldn’t be happier and still have my pants on!