Sliced aloo “chokha style” is a spin on Bihar’s aloo chokha, with the potatoes sliced instead of mashed. The trick to making this recipe is in boiling the potatoes just right: neither so soft that they give way when pressed, nor so firm that they need extended sautéing post-boiling to make them bite-friendly.
Sides
Chutneys, pickles, raitas to accompany an Indian meal.
Sookhi Arbi Fry: Pan-Fried Colocasia
An easy arbi (colocasia) side dish that doesn’t require much skill or vigilance to put together. And what’s more, it remains heroically spill-resistant even if you carry it around in a leaky creaky lunchbox.
Kashmir-Inspired Radish Walnut Chutney
Epic’s Tyohaar ki Thali was playing on my TV as I went about Sunday chores, only half an eye on the proceedings on screen…when this radish walnut chutney recipe made me stop in my tracks.
What an intriguing flavor profile, and what simplicity!
I had a fresh bunch of moolis in my fridge and a pot of homemade dahi. I decided to try out this recipe immediately.
Kachumber Salad: Classic Indian Cucumber Onion Tomato Salad
Kachumber – a classic Indian cucumber onion tomato salad that’s light, fresh and oil-free. This healthy side dish made with raw, fresh vegetables gives a pleasant counterpoint to rich Indian curries such as baingan masala, gobi musallam, dahi arbi. And of course, kachumber salad is most famously paired with dhansak.
Aloo Capsicum Dry – Peppy Peppery Side Dish!
Thick colorful bell pepper strips and wedge-cut potatoes, shallow-fried with fragrant spices. Uses no onion, tomato, ginger or garlic. This aloo capsicum dry sabzi is just right for days when your pantry has run out of Indian curry staples.
Chukandar ka Raita: Beetroot Raita
Making beetroot raita is like taking a complementary course in color therapy. Boil the beets – witness the transparent water turn a purple-red. Peel, trim, grate – get your fingers prettily tinted. Fold grated beet into plain yogurt – behold swirls of white-pink so vivid, you’d be reminded of rubies and pale silk. This beetroot raita, I promise, will make the staidest meal come alive.
Pan-Roasted Spicy Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potato’s starchy sweetness plays off the robust flavors of sookhi sabzi masala in this recipe. The spices make this dish taste so exotic, you can hardly tell that putting this together was so easy.






