Potato Bhaji

You know, there are some growing up memories that just never fade away and the happiest ones are invariably around the dinner table. Our family had a few ground rules - did I ever mention that my parents are professors? (No wonder we had rules!:P) Rules need not always be bad and are not always meant to be broken. There are some rules that shape your habits and looking back you would never regret having followed them. Our rules were simple -

1. Always have every meal together - be it breakfast, lunch or dinner! We still follow it.
2. Never skip a meal. Mamma says,' if you skip a meal it is I who go hungry not you', so I make sure she never goes hungry:)
3. No TV while eating! Gosh, I wish I could follow that one. That is one rule we had to coax Pappa into relenting at times when our favorite TV programs were running.
4. It was always the same meal for everyone, no specials! You like it, eat it or eat whatever you like that is on the table but special food for one individual was hardly ever made. Mamma alternated between everyone's favorite.

Small things in life but ones which shapes certain routines in your life.  Sometimes the most important decisions in life are taken around dinner table and the most precious moments are created there. Food is not just about living - food is love - food is sharing happiness - food brings family together! One of my favorite food in my school days were chapatti and potato bhaji. We called it the yellow potato curry:) This has always been my go to recipe for lazy evenings. It is quick - pairs well with chapati and poori and it can well beat the bhaji served at restaurants. 

Ingredients

1. Potato - 2 large chopped into cubes
2. Onion - 1 medium sliced
3. Green Chilli - 2-3 slit ( increase or decrease as per your spice quotient)
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
6. Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
7. Oil - 1 tbsp
8. Water
9. Salt to taste

Method

• Cook the potato along with onion, green chilli, turmeric powder, water and salt. You may use a pressure cooker with water just enough to cover the potatoes and let it cook up to two whistles. Alternatively, use a cooking pot but add more water and let it cook covered.
• Once the potato is cooked. Mash it using a laddle until the potato is coarsely mashed and the gravy thickens. In case you have excess water, run on high flame for a while to get rid of the excess water.
• In a separate pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once it splutters add curry leaves to this.
• Add the tempering to your gravy and keep it covered until served. There you are - potato bhaji is all ready!