ACK 9.10: Alu narial raita

Alu narial raita

Potato and coconut salad

This raita, consisting of boiled potatoes, grated coconut, and seasoned yogurt, goes well with any meal. Potatoes are full of vitamins B, C, and G, plus minerals and protein. Don't use potatoes whose skins are greenish (they're apt to be bitter) or sprouted potatoes (they tend to be watery).

Preparation and cooking time: 30 min

6 medium-sized potatoes
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 3/4 cups (425 ml) plain yogurt
1 fresh chili, minced
2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (100 g) grated coconut
1 tablespoon ghee
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 firm ripe tomatoes washed and cut into 8 wedges each
several sprigs of parsley

Boil the potatoes until they are soft. Peel them, cut them into cubes, and put them in a bowl. Refrigerate.

Mix together the yogurt, salt, and grated coconut. Heat the ghee in a small pan; then toss in the mustard seeds. Cover the pan immediately so that the seeds don't jump all over. the stove. When they finish popping, add the ginger and the chili. Stir for a few seconds. Empty this masala into the bowl of yogurt, drop the potatoes in, mix, and toss gently to give the potatoes an even coating of the yogurt and the spices.

Serve chilled, garnished with a sprig of parsley and wedges of tomato.