Inspired: To-die-for broiled potatoes

I scream
You scream
We all scream for ice-cream
Except that all of us really prefer potatoes. No kidding! We will forego the delicious cold treat for another helping of that terrific tuber.

I have been enchanted by Gini's Oven roasted potatoes with Indian spices ever since she posted them over a year ago, with perfectly broiled lamb chops. It was only this January that I actually did something about it besides periodically going to Gini's blog to salivate over the pictures!

Broiled lamb chops and roasted potatoes soon became a mid-week favorite. Instead of indulging in some touch-and-feel-and-put-it-back-on-the-shelf therapy at Kohl's, I started going to Sam's Club to pick up a tray of delicious New Zealand lamb chops while Medha was at piano lessons. We'd hurry home and by the time she was done with her shower (read: finished all the hot water), a delicious meal would be ready for the two of us, with plenty leftover for the next day.

To die for broiled potatoes

• 6 medium red potatoes
• 1 dried red chilli
• 1/4 tsp jeera
• 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds or 1/4 tsp nigella seeds or both
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• salt to taste

1. Wash and scrub the potatoes well. Chop evenly into 1 inch size pieces and place in an oven-proof dish or loaf pan
2. Coarsely pound all the spices using your mortar-pestle.
   
   
   
   
3. Sprinkle the spices and salt over the chopped potatoes and toss till they are covered evenly.
   
   
   
   
4. Drizzle the olive oil over the spiced potatoes and toss again.
5. If these are being cooked as a side for broiled lamb chops, then put these in the oven with the lamb. When you turn the lamb over, toss the potatoes, too. Um...otherwise broil these and pull them out after 10 minutes or so to toss them about and return to broil till done - another 10 minutes or so. It really depends on the potatoes so you will have to wing it as far as the total time is concerned.

I served these to-die-for potatoes with lamb chops, a refreshing salad and rumali rotis that I found in the freezer section at my Indian grocer. What I loved about this meal was that it was quick, with minimal clean-up. It was also the perfect meal to satisfy those mid-week cravings and chase away the winter blues.

I'm sending this over to the ever resourceful and entertaining Vaishali as my very first entry ever in Indira's Jihva for Ingredients. The ingredient in the spotlight is Potato!

Tags: Potatoes, broiled potatoes, spicy potatoes, Jihva, jihva for potatoes

Inspired: Orange Walnut Quick Bread

Inspired by Ashwini.

I followed her recipe except that I used

• two egg-whites instead of one egg
• 3/4 tsp baking soda, as an altitude adjustment
• 1/4 cup orange juice, also as an altitude adjustment
• 2 cups all purpose flour, cos I was too lazy to sift two different types of flour
• 4 oz cranberry-orange yogurt and 4 oz orange creme yogurt. Why? Because the cranberry orange yogurt was so delicious that I finished half the cup before I knew it!
• 1/2 cup walnuts, cos I am crazy about them and as of these holidays, slightly allergic to them, too! The sides of my tongue hurt and I feel the need to bite down on that area and hurt it even more. According to the best neurologist in the NY-NJ area, it's a mild allergic reaction.
• I skipped the dessicated coconut in the bread but sprinkled some unsweetened coconut powder on top in deference to taste buds that are only 8 years young.

Verdict: A big huge YUM! Easy to make. Next time, I will make it with just one egg-white.

More pictures of the Quick Orange Walnut Bread to drool over.

Thank you, Ashwini!

Tags: Orange walnut quick bread, Orange bread, inspired