Urulakkizhangu Mezhukkuvaratti - An aromatic Kerala side dish using potatoes

This dish has a lot of memories... it was my paternal grandmom( Mamma) who introduced this in our family and it was my dad's fave and now mine :) I can eat it anytime....as a snack or as a side dish! :) Just love it! It is perfect when paired with yoghurt/moru curry & rice.

Whenever Amma makes it...I tell her that I still clearly remeber how she used to feed me balls of rice mixed with moru curry and potato mezhukkuvaratti( which literally means 'smeared with oil')when we used to stay over in our estate... and that too when I was sitting on our trailer ( our jeep had a trailer for collecting all the farm produce and that was my place when I was fed :D )

Potato Mezhukkuvaratti

Recipe by Mamma

Potatoes-4-5 medium sized

Garlic-5-6 cloves

Shallots/Sambar onions -8-10

Dry red chillies - 3-4

Chilli powder-1 1/2 - 2 tsp depending on your spice tolerance

Turmeric powder- a pinch

Water*-1/4 cup

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Salt- to taste

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Oil-5-6 tbsp ( we use coconut oil & we swear by it :D )

Wash,peel and cut the potato into bite sized cubes and leave it in water so that it does not discolour.Grind garlic,shallots & dry red chillies to a paste using a mixie or a mortar & pestle ( preferably the granite one)Heat oil, splutter the mustard seeds. Saute the ground ingredients till a lovely aroma comes.Lower the flame and the powders and mix well.Add the potatoes ( we usually just take them directly out of the water , shake of the excess slightly and add it to the masala) and mix well.Close with a lid and let it on low flame cook for 5-8 mins stirring well in between ( If you are going to drain the potatoes completely and add them, sprinkle 1/4 cup of water over them and let them cook)Once it is cooked, remove the lid and fry it slightly for 2-3 mins adding oil if needed.Garnish with curry leaves and serve hot with plain rice.

We usually let it cook till it is almost dry...kinda fry types ...so that the potatoes are well coated with the masala and they are slightly crisp on the outer edges but soft inside. So it might call for more oil. But if you do not want to use too much oil, no issues...go ahead ! I really feel potatoes made in any form is really delicious!