Multi-layered, textural vegetable-based recipes are at the heart of Israeli-British chef and writer Yotam Ottolenghi's food. His new cookbook Flavour — the third installment in the bestselling and multi-award-winning Plenty series — is no different. Ottolenghi and his co-writer Ixta Belfrage break down the foundations for creating great flavour, exploring the process, pairing and produce behind each recipe. Of this dish Ottolenghi says:
This dish is inspired by aloo chaat, an Indian street food that has many regional variations, all of which are loaded with sweet and sour and a fair bit of crunch. This is a slightly tamer version, though still pretty "noisy", both in flavour and in looks. It is perfect for a weekend lunch, alongside other vegetables or as a side with roasted lamb or chicken. Chaat masala is the slightly tangy spice mix that gives this dish its distinctive flavour.
Ingredients
750 g
Baby new potatoes, cut lengthways into 1cm-thick slices (Main)
2 Tbsp
Olive oil
1 tsp
Chaat masala
½ tsp
Ground turmeric
250 g
Greek yoghurt
½
Small red onions, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds (Main)
Put the potatoes and 2 teaspoons of salt into a medium saucepan and top with enough cold water to cover by about 4cm. Place on a medium-high heat, bring to the boil, then simmer for 6 minutes, or until they're almost cooked through but still retain a bite. Drain through a sieve and pat dry, then transfer to a large parchment-lined baking tray and toss with the oil, chaat masala, turmeric, salt and a good grind of pepper. Roast, stirring once or twice, for 35 minutes, or until deeply golden.
Meanwhile, make the coriander chutney. Put all the ingredients and ¼ teaspoon of salt into the small bowl of a food processor and blitz until smooth. Set aside until needed.
For the tamarind dressing, whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl with 1½ teaspoons of water and set aside.
Spread the yoghurt out on a large round serving platter. Top with the coriander chutney, swirling it through without incorporating it completely.
Drizzle with half the tamarinddressing, and top with the potatoes, onion and chilli. Drizzle over the remaining tamarind, then sprinkle over the seeds and serve.
