The Indian palate is well-accustomed to the stipulated mixing in of flavours – be it hot and sweet, or sour and spicy. Still, those fall on the ends of a broad spectrum of tastes, with the fine, nameless nuances of some others waltzing along the scale. (Some words in the vernacular cannot effectively be translated into English, and chatpata is just one of them).
Honey-chilli potatoes with corn kernels is one dish that reflects all of the above, and it’s a hit from the word go in our households. This recipe resulted from an experiment to re-create a restaurant-style appetizer, sans the deep frying and cornflour-aided thickening, both of which tend to leave a slurry-like after taste in the mouth. It’s really a breeze to put together and works great as a side dish with fried rice, noodles, or just as an evening snack, all on its own.
Honey-chilli Potatoes ‘n Corn
(Serves 2-3)
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 3-4 tablespoons water, stock or orange juice
Mix the listed ingredients well, set aside.
For the potatoes ‘n corn
- 2 tablespoons groundnut oil
- 4-5 pods garlic, minced or crushed
- 4 medium-sized potatoes, cubed
- 1/2 cup corn kernels, thawed
- Salt to taste
- A pinch of red chilli powder
- Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
- Heat the oil in a pan, and add the crushed garlic, fry for a minute.
- Add the potatoes and fry on medium flame until light brown, then tip in the corn, toss well.
- Add salt, cook covered, for about 8 minutes, on a low flame. Add the chilli powder, mix well.
- Add the prepared sauce and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes on a high flame, turn off heat.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
