Potato and Turnip Rösti

Rösti would be a fancier term for the humble potato pancake. I added a couple of turnips in mine, seasoned with only fresh black pepper and salt.

Parsi Ras Chawal (Spicy Tomato Gravy with Rice)

I usually have one meal a week with my family, with me taking a break from making my own meals or ordering takeout. I do ask my mom to either make a vegetarian Parsi dish or to make my portion seperately and then add the meat to their portions later on. This time, its a dish called ras chawal, which would translate to spicy tomato gravy with rice. It's quite unknown compared to other Parsi specialities and I can't find a single recipe of it online.

We usually add mutton to this dish, or serve it with boiled eggs. But this one's all vegan with just potatoes and drumsticks. You're supposed to suck the flesh inside the drum stick, not eat the chewy fiberous outside. The recipe is a rough gist I got from my mom.

Mushroom, Potato and Pepper Open Sandwich

I love Scandinavia - I'm currently reading Stieg Larson (the second book); have always had a very soft spot for hunky Scandinavian men - they've got a wicked sense of humor and their blue-eyed/blonde hair look, preferably with a golden tan acquired sunbathing (Cough: naked) in Goa, really does it for me. Indian men are like goats - and not in a good way. And the daily recipe emails from My Danish Kitchen had me yearning for magically being in Sweden or Denmark this morning.

If I can't be magically teleported there, at least I can take my first jab at their cuisine. An open sandwich - what's more Danish than that?! Well, the Danish Pastry is, but I ain't got the time or requisite skill to attempt something so complicated. I had a nice loaf of organic multigrain bread from the farmer's market that was unused. And I had a boiled potato (the advantages of living with your family) and chives (I love chives - they seem so buttery). So, made an open sandwich for breakfast. But Indian that I am, I did make it a bit spicy with some green chutney. Good thing I only made one slice, coz the bread was really hearty and filling.

Mushroom, Potato and Pepper Open Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 1 slice bread/baguette
• 1/2 boiled potato
• 2-3 white button mushrooms
• 2 teaspoons coconut milk/cream
• Handul of finely chopped green pepper
• 1 tablespoon green chutney
• 1 teaspoon chopped chives
• 5-8 black pepper corns
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

To make:

• Mash your potato along with some coconut milk to make a thick gooey paste. Ideally, do this while the potato is still hot.
• In a pan, heat the olive oil.
• Chop your mushrooms and add to the pan, along with freshly ground black pepper.
• Saute the mushrooms for 3-5 minutes until brown.
• Slice your bread (fairly thick). You may want to toast/grill your bread if its too flimsy.
• Spread the green chutney over the bread.
• Next spread the mashed potato over the bread.
• Layer the sauted mushrooms next.
• Next come some finely chopped green pepper.
• Finish off with a sprinkling of finely chopped chives and a dash of olive oil.

Potato Rosemary Pizza

Potato on pizza sounds like a complete abomination, but if it's good enough for David Rocco, then it's good enough for me. I find the crust of store-bought pizza breads too thick, so for this one, I just cut it horizontally in half to make two thin pizza bases.

Potato Rosemary Pizza

• 1 pizza crust
• 1 potato
• 2 tablespoons of tomato puree/pizza sauce
• Handful of rosemary
• Teaspoon of garlic powder

To make:

• Spread the tomato puree on top of the pizza crust.
• Thinly slice the potato into horizontal discs.
• Arrange in overlapping circles on the pizza crust.
• Sprinkle some garlic powder and fresh rosemary leaves.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
  
  
  
   

Small Bean, Grape and Potato Salad

It's been a week or so since I bought fresh produce, and so I was rummaging through stuff in the fridge and found some boiled potato and some small beans. Also decided to make a dressing using my newly bought balsamic vinegar.

I did not quite enjoy the salad at lunch as the dressing was all dried up and made the potatoes extra sticky. And am no big fan of raw small beans either. So, won't be making this one again in a hurry.

Small Bean, Grape and Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 potato
• 1-2 cups of small beans
• 1 cup of green grapes
• Handful of almonds
• 2-3 basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

To make:

• Boil, skin, and cube the potato.
• Combine the beans, potato, grapes and basil leaves.
• Dress it with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
• Top off with the almonds.