Making aloo ki sabji – from a amateur ....for an amateur

Ok...let me start by naming this ...’cookery special – 1’...just in case it gets famous in due time and the TV channels get after me..
Background –
An Indian guy who loves Indian veggie food (espl. North Indian) has had to shift base from India to Sydney for work. In 26 years he has learnt to make tea, toast bread ( and put jam and butter if reqd.) , make cornflakes ( other variants include Milo, wheat flakes etc.) roast papads...and ....hmmm....mmmm.....I can’t think of anything more. So now this guy, who believes that the most difficult time he’s faced ( wrt food) in life was when he had to suffice with dabbawallas in Mumbai when he was working there, is faced with an issue – he’s in Sydney..he loves veggie Indian food...there are no dabbawallas in Sydney...in short ...HE NEEDS TO COOK BY HIMSELF !!! (The sad part – that’s my story...)

Ok...so I had to accept my fate....and take the plunge with the ‘frying pan and the fire’... So soon enough I was taking instructions from my mom ...sitting in Calcutta ( and enjoying the fun...I heard a few laughs in the background..That I suspect was my dad.....what had I come to !!!)
Ok so lesson 1 – the easiest sabzi to make ( espl . given my taste ) is aloo ki sabzi. ..it wasn’t so easy by the time I had finished though!!!
Start by taking potatoes....put them in a cooker...fill it up partially with water....then put it on the gas ...and wait. Let the cooker’s whistle blow 7-8 times...thats to make the aloo soft and warm...yeah so when it becomes’ bahar se ruf n tuf aur andar se naram and garam’ you can take it out.
Caution – avoid burning your fingers as I did by touching the potatoes directly. In case they have not yet become soft you may need to give it a whistle or two more....
Yeah now peel the potatoes...u gotta do it while they’re hot...that’s the tuff part L...after that cut it into the size that you think you’ll be able to make it edible.
Ok now take your pan...put some oil in it...wait for it to become slightly warm...then put rai (dunno the English equivalents ...and a bit lazy to google it out) and jeera in it....what you need to avoid is what I did...In my first attempt I accidentally put soem water on the warm oil..and that had reactins similar to putting a sodium/potassium mass in water...a pthetic experience...so I started again....this time I managed to overheat it and the rai/jeera got burnt and off course the fire alarm blew off coz I had not put on the exhaust ( ....so I started again!!! thats Lesson 2 for you– be persuasive)
Now I forgot to tell you...you’re not just supposed to stand and stare at the cooker and wait for the whistle to blow...you need to cut tomatoes while that happens. Try and cut one tomato for every 3-4 aloo pcs. that you take...cut them as small as you can..next you do the same with onions ( can be avoided if u want the easy way out and are not too fussy about taste )....put the tomatoes into the pan and keep stirring til it forms into a paste...this would take some time.
Now dump the potatoes into the pan and stir. You could mash it too if you want it that way. Next – a very important component – salt,masalas,chilli powder – the trio – that could make your cooking range from very good to absolutely pathetic....and you don’t want that to happen after having taken the trouble to burn your fingers , dirtied your clothes, messed up the kitchen and whatever else that may have befallen. So do add them small instalments ...and keep tasting till you’re sure it’s edible. Abou t the masalas...I put sabzi ka masala, dhaniya powder, hing powder, garam masala and one more ...can’t remember the name. Add lime. Keep stirring and let it cook for some 10-12 minutes...
And your Aloo is ready to eat !!!!!!
I had quite a time with mine....but it eventually turned out not so bad....have stored some for the morning too...so that’s an indication..Good luck with your attempt!!!

Disclaimer – The above activity has been undertaken by a person highly un-skilled and incompetent in this field. It may be dangerous trying it at home. Do at your own risk. The author takes no responsibility for any damages that may arise on account of the same. Thank you.