When it comes to fasting, my parents are very very veryyyyyy ( not sure how many more very I should add)  picky.

Each parent has a list of what they will and will not eat when it comes to veggies, from paneer to broccoli to cauliflower. My mother doesn’t want to see onions or tomatoes in her food, she refuses to eat it otherwise. My dad hates paneer with a passion. If he sees paneer on his plate he sulks and refuses to speak to me until he gets something else to eat. Talk about throwing tantrums.

I don’t remember being this fussy of an eater when my mother used to cook.

The only thing my parents seem to agree to eat is potatoes, every couple of days my father will tell me, I beg of you to make greenbeans, potatoes and dhal… apparently this combination is known as funeral food. They make and serve this at every Indian funeral service. I haven’t been to a funeral in almost 15 years. Even at a funeral aunties are trying to play match maker… thanks but no thanks. I remember my mother made me go fetch clean plates and in order to get to the plates I had to walk between two rows, facing each other of aunties. They were silent as I walked to get the plates and silent as I walked back with the plates. All I could see out of the corner of my eye was them watching me from head to toe, trying to picture me with their son. My shoes were making soo much noise; I thought my mother would shout at me to keep quiet. When I had to take the plates back, I took the long way outside and around the building.

Anyway enough about my match making horrors, back to the food.

By now I have made potatoe and pea curry so many time, it just isn’t even funny. Then I was reading Madhur Jaffrey’s cook book and she had a Moroccan stew that sounded delicious to make and easy and it was similar to that of potatoe curry.

The final verdict, my parents ate it, my mother said she would eat it again, my father complained it was too salty to which he was told his taste buds need to go into retirement. MEN

Ingredients:

• 2 x tbsp. oil.
• 1 x onion, finely chopped.
• 1 x can tomatoe and onion mix.
• A few curry leaves.
• 500g x potatoes, peeled and cubed.
• ¼ x tsp turmeric powder.
• 1 x tsp paprika.
• 1 x tsp masala.
• 2 x tbsp. coriander, chopped.
• 1 ¼ x tsp salt.
• 1 x tsp urad  dhal.

Method:

• Heat the oil in a pot.
• Add the dhal and allow it to change colour.
• Add the onions and saute till transparent.
• Add the curry leaves and tomatoe mix.
• Cover and cook till all the moisture from the tomatoes has evaporated.
• Add the spices and salt and stir to mix.
• Add the potatoe and toss to coat the potatoes with the spices.
• Add enough water to cover the potatoes.
• Cover and cook till the potatoes are soft.
• Remove the lid and cook till the gravy had reduced.
• Garnish with coriander and serve.