Bengal Potatoes

Ingredients

• Ghee or oil
• 2 tsp panch puran
• Approximately 2 lb potatoes, unpeeled and cut into chunks
• Ground turmeric
• Chile powder (preferably not too hot—e.g. Kashmiri chile )

Method

1. Put a little ghee into a large heavy-bottomed pan with a good lid over medium heat.
2. Add panch puran, and let it cook gently until the seeds start to pop.
3. Add potatoes to pan, stirring so that the seeds coat the potatoes evenly.
4. Add a little ground turmeric—enough to just color the cut surfaces of all the pieces.
5. Add a little chile powder to taste. The quantity varies depending on your palate, and the strength of the chile.
6. Stir well to distribute the spices.
7. Do one of the following:
8. Put on the lid, turn down the heat, and allow the potatoes to cook in their own steam until cooked through. A little extra water can be added if necessary, but as little as possible should be used. The potatoes should not boil.
9. Put the spiced potatoes on a tray in a hot oven until cooked through.