Christina and Stella prepared this side dish for the South Arm Cooking Club for Seniors. Stella helped out Christina as one of the senior (Lorna) did not turn up the last minute as she was still recovering from her eye surgery. We wished Lorna to have a speedy recovery.

The Samosa style Potatoes and Peas is flavoured with spices like turmeric, mango powder, cumin seeds and chili powder. The peas add sweetness to this dish. This recipe is from Satta Lal.

Ingredients

• 1 lb russet potatoes (about 3 medium), wash and cut into quarters
• 1 cup frozen peas, rinsed under running water
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon amchur (mango powder)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon oil
• salt to taste

Here is an excerpt from ‘The Spice of Life’ on ginger shared by Stella:

Ginger is native of China and India, the creeping stems of this perennial plant have been used in Chinese medicines for many countries.  Ginger has been used in a wide variety of different products including pickles, chutneys, curries, and, of course, ginger ale.

Ginger is believed to be effective in relieving symptoms of nausea and inflammation.  Preliminary studies at the American Association of Cancer Research have shown that gingerol, an active ingredient in ginger, may halt the growth of colon cancer, and it is effective in promoting positive eicosanoids and killing yeast and microbes.

Instructions

Boil the potatoes until tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Drain, and when cool enough to handle, peel and cut the potatoes into small cubes.

Combine turmeric powder, amchur, chili powder, and salt in a small bowl.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add cumin seeds, ginger and potaotoes and stir fry for 3 minutes.

Add peas and the rest of the spices. Stir-fry for a few more minutes until there is a light crisp to the potatoes. Remove from heat and serve. Christina and Stella, thank you for preparing this Samosa style Potatoes and Peas for the Indian feast to celebrate Vasakhi in the South Arm Cooking Club for Seniors.