Sojne data aar aloo torkari ( drumsticks and Potato curry)

Sojne Datta aloo turkari (drumsticks potato curry)
If we can pick one vegetable that we can survive easily on,I guess that would be Potato.Just imagine if we don’t have potatoes all together in our pantry ,then how tasteless and mundane will be our curries ,paratha,puris/luchi. I asked one of my friend ,what if you don’t use anymore Potato in curries , she replied in Bengali “ Dhek kemon che che ache ,Bhalo bhabe Moje ni “( The curry looks so unappealing to eat with anything )You guessed it right , the kind of importance potato has in our meals .



we will miss our favorite samosas,aloo tikki also .If we list the dishes made of potato ,it will go on like a saga aloo ghobhi(potato cauliflower curry),aloo matar(aloo peas curry),aloo methi,(potato fenugreek curry )aloo palak(potato spinach curry) ,aloo begun bodi diye jhaal (a Bengali dish comprising potato, Brinjal curry), Palong sager dalna ( another Bengali way of preparing spinach ) and many more.
Mashed potato is a very healthy meal itself for little ones also .
These are some of the easiest recipes for mashed potato for Toddlers or infants .

Mashed Potato recipes

•  Some spoonful ( 4-5 tbs of milk or you may add fresh cream also , some 2-3 tbs of sugar to mashed potato and its a nutritious meal packed with goodness of carbohydrates .
•  Then add boiled eggs to it ,a dash of red pepper powder or black pepper powder,cut 1 medium size onion pieces ,and a tsp of mustard oil .Mash it well with boiled potato .This one is a instant hit with my family. Donot add red pepper powder if you are preparing it for infants or toddlers .
•  Then you may add boiled yellow spilt lentil (Moong Dal)( pressure cook it in pressure cooker all you need is just to add a little bit of water, go with 1 whistle and its boiled )
• Take out in a bowl and add with little bit of salt ,2-3 tbs of milk ,1 bowl of steamed rice ,mash it well with boiled potato( you may add them while pressure cooking the lentil ,cut the potato in small pieces ,this will work out fine) .
• This is a healthy meal for toddlers or infants( from 4-6 months onward) If preparing for infants ,add more milk to make it more mushy .Store the left –over in batches in refrigerator (stays fresh for 2-3 days easily),take out one by one to feed them whenever they are feeling hungry/cranky ,and you don’t have time to prepare meals for them .Just Microwave them for 2 mints and here the healthy home-made Gerber is ready .
• mash it with some steamed and cooked cauliflowers and green peas.Adjsut seasoning with black pepper powder and salt.

In short potato is a necessity for us .So to celebrate this necessity Talented DK 's Culinary bazaar has come with a fabulous idea of Potato Feast , and also Vivacious Sia of Monsoon spice is celebrating Ode To Potato . I would like to send it across to Them .Please visit their lovely blogs for more details.



Here is this recipe that is made in every Bengali Home I guess .This is the season of Drumsticks/sajne data also .Now this is a very tempting combo Potato ,Drumsticks,Brinjal and seem .This one has a very authentic taste and  is best eaten with warm cooked rice /gorom bhaat .
The gravy is tempered with Panch phoron , which is the main ingredient to make any Bengali Curry .
Phanch Phoron is a mixture of Cumin seeds ,Fenugreek seeds,Kalounji (kalo jeera),Fennel seeds and usually Radhuni .Since we don’t easily get radhuni here anymore now ,we escape that part altogether in the Panch Phoron . Dash of red pepper gives some spicy flavor also .Leave some gravy to eat with steamed rice .
Sojne Data and aloor tarkari Recipe requirements

• Drumsticks (sojne data) 4 cut into 2 inch long pieces (These should not be much ripened, more towards being tender sojne (kochi sojne ) is good for this kind of gravy .
• Potato 2 medium size cut into 2 inch long thick julienne .
• Seem 5-6 cut from the two ends little bit ,this helps them to soak the gravy easily or runner beans/mangetouts whatver is available.
• Brinjal /Begun/Eggplant – 1 cut into 8-9 long 2 inch thick julienne
• For the Gravy 
• 1tsp of turmeric powder,1 tsp of Red Pepper powder, 1tsp of salt , 1 tsp of panch phoron
• 2-3 tbs of mustard oil

How to Proceed

• Heat a heavy bottom pan/Kadai , add oil , let it heat up properly,lower the heat ,add Panch Phoron ,fry it for ½ mintute or wait till it splutter.
• Add cut potatoes ,fry them a little bit ,now add all the vegetables and saute for another 4 mints at medium heat .
• Add all one by one at low flame ,first salt, turmeric powder , red pepper powder .Quickly add 2 cups of water,lower the heat ,cover and cook for 8-10 mints till the desired gravy is met.
• If serving with Rice ,its better if you leave some gravy ,otherwise let it simmer more to completely dry fry it , that’s even good with rotis.

Happy cooking friends.