A versatile potato dish that comes together in minutes and can be eaten by itself, paired with other vegetables or even stuffed inside dosas.

Batata shaak – or rai no papeto as it’s known in my house – is on our regular menu rotation. Growing up, my family (with the honourable exception of my more sensible mum) truly believed that eating potatoes meant that we’d had our 5+ for the day.

The potato is known by many names in India. Some communities call it batata and you may have also heard of aloo; us Parsis call it papeto.

Name aside, this simple batata shaak  is a one-pot dish that comes together in under 20 minutes and is perfect for the office or school lunchbox. Its beauty is in its versatility. You can eat it as is with some hot roti, stuff it into dosas or sandwiches, or use it as a tasty base to sneak in other vegetables. Once you have the base ready you could add peas to make aloo matar or cauliflower to make a simple aloo gobi; stir-fry it with cabbage to make cabbage nu shaak; or, the Parsi favourite, break in an egg to make papeta per eedu.

With this dish, the world is your batata.

BATATA SHAAK

Serves 4

• 4-6 large potatoes
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1.5 tsp black mustard seeds
• 10 – 20 curry leaves
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Handful of chopped coriander

Optional extras

• 2 green chillies, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp amchur dry mango powder
• Pinch of grated ginger or ginger paste
• Squeeze of lemon juice

Wash the potatoes and peel them if you want. Cut them into small cubes and keep them in a mixing bowl filled with water so they don’t start browning.

In a large saucepan (big enough to hold your potatoes and give you space to stir), add 2 tablespoons of the ghee and allow it to heat up.

When the ghee is hot, add in quick succession the mustard seeds, green chillies and then the curry leaves. Careful – the tadka (spice-infused oil) will splutter and protest as the curry leaves go in. Once the leaves turn crispy, turn the heat down and add your potatoes.

Sprinkle in the turmeric powder, amchur powder and ginger if you’re using them, and the salt. Mix thoroughly.

Add about 1/4 cup of water to ensure your potatoes don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan, lower your flame and allow the potatoes to cook for about 13-15 minutes, giving them a stir every now and then. Cook the potatoes to your liking – I prefer them just cooked rather than mushy.

When the potatoes are soft, your batata shaak is ready. Mix in the final tablespoon of ghee, squeeze over some lemon juice and sprinkle on fresh coriander, and give it a final mix.

Serve the potatoes with soft, fresh rotis.

Tips and variations

• If you wanted to create cabbage shaak, you’d add in about 1/4 head of a grated green cabbage when the potatoes were half cooked.
• To make aloo gobi, follow the same steps but add some small chunks of cauliflower to the oil along with the potato.
• And, if you’re keen to try a papeta per eedu, layer a small amount of the cooked potatoes in a smaller saucepan. Make a few holes and break in 3 eggs. Think of it as a tastier potato frittata!