Jeera Aloo - potatoes cooked with cumin

http://www.vahrehvah.com/Jeera+Aloo:3138

potatoes cooked with cumin
Jeera Aloo is a typical traditional dish of North India; probably this dish is prepared in every house. The dish is very simple and easy to cook and hardly takes much time. It's a nice Indian style of twist on potatoes with fried cumin seeds which gives a unique slightly nutty flavor.

Potatoes always have an important place in every kitchen and a treat to all. It's like the king of vegetables and can be mixed with any vegetable or meats and prepared. Potatoes can be cooked in many ways like baking, roasting, frying, boiling etc and any ways would taste the best. Potatoes are one such vegetable that is available throughout the year at very reasonable price.

The potato originated in the region of southern Peru. Potatoes were first domesticated in Peru between 3000 BC and 2000 BC. The potato was introduced in the Philippines during the late 16th century and to Java and China during the 17th century. It was well-established as a crop in India by the late 18th century and in Africa by the mid-20th century. It remains an essential crop in Europe (especially eastern and central Europe), where per capita production is still the highest in the world, but the most rapid expansion over the past few decades has occurred in southern and eastern Asia. China is now the world's largest potato-producing country, and nearly a third of the world's potatoes are harvested in China and India. Apart from Rice, Wheat and Corn, Potatoes is the 4th highly produced crop all over India.

The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial family (also known as the nightshades). The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. The potato is best known for its carbohydrate content (approximately 26 grams in a medium potato). The potato contains vitamins and minerals and the fiber content of a potato with skin (2 g) is equivalent to that of many whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals.

Jeera Aloo is also known as the dish prepared by bachelors as it's very simple and fast to cook. For preparing Jeera Aloo, peel and chop boiled potaotes into small cubes. Chop onions finely so that while cooking they get nicely mixed with the potatoes. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when it crackles add cumin seeds. Add onions and saute well till they turn brown in color. Add turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste and fry nicely for few minutes till the raw smell of the ginger and garlic goes off. Add green chillies, dried crushed fenugreek leaves. You can also add curry leaves. Its optional. In bowl of water mix coriander powder, cumin powder and chilli powder and mix nicely and add this into the pan and fry. Add salt and cook till the masala oozes oil and the masala mixture becomes dry. Add the boiled potatoes and fry well. Here we are only coating the potatoes with the dry masala mixture. Garnish with coriander leaves and mix. Serve along with hot puris, chapattis, rice and fresh yoghurt.

Cumin are heavily used in ancient Roman cuisine. It helps to add an earthy and warming feeling to cooking, making it a staple in certain stews and soups, as well as curries and chilli. Cumin's distinctive flavour and strong, warm aroma is due to its essential oil content. Cumin is famous for its medicinal qualities and digestive properties. It reduces superficial inflammation and pain. As potato creates flatulence or heaviness of stomach, jeera helps in digesting the food and normalizes the digestive system.