Two Potato Vindaloo

I think I may have stretched the limits of my weeknight cooking. While this recipe was very delicious, there was more than a little too much chopping for a dinner that started to be made at 7 pm. Yotem is right, though, the leftovers are delicious.

Two potato vindaloo
From Yotem Ottolenghi's Plenty

8 cardamom pods
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 ground turmeric
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp vegetable oil
12 shallots, chopped
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
25 curry leaves
2 tbsp chopped ginger
1 fresh red chili, finely chopped
3 ripe tomatoes, roughly shopped
50 ml cider vinegar
400 ml water
1 tbsp sugar
400 g peeled waxy potatoes, diced
2 red peppers, diced
400 g peeled sweet potatoes, diced
salt
mint or coriander to serve

Start by making the spice mix. Dry-roast the cardamom pods and cumin and coriander seeds in a small frying pan until they begin to pop. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and add the cloves. Work into a fine powder, removing and discarding the cardamom pods once the seeds are released. Add the turmeric, paprika and cinnamon and set aside.

Heat up the oil in a large heavy-based pot. Add the shallots with the mustard and fenugreek seeds, and saute on a medium-low heat until the shallots brown. Stir in the spice mix, curry leaves, ginger and chili and cook for a further 3 minutes. Next, add the tomatoes, vinegar, water, sugar and some salt. Bring to a boil, then leave to simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Add the potatoes and red peppers and simmer for another 20 minutes. For the last stage, add the sweet potatoes. Make sure all the vegetables are just immersed in the sauce (add more water if needed) and continue cooking, covered, for about 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Remove the lid and leave to bubble away for about 10 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce. Serve hot, with plain rice and garnished with herbs.

Sweet potato soup with feta and za'atar oil

The problem with food as souvenirs is that I find myself unable to actually eat the food because I want to preserve the memory. I didn't actually GO to Israel, but I like being reminded of my friend who lived there every time I look at my jar of za'atar.

My giant jar of za'atar that I will never, ever get through. I got a little greedy last year when this friend brought back a little half pint container of the stuff, and my roommate and I finished it within weeks. There's something about this Israeli za'atar that was zestier and less sawdust-like than the giant bag of it I had bought at Sahadi's. So obviously when my friend was going back to visit her boyfriend, I requested a much larger amount.

Hence, the 20 oz or so of the stuff that I am slowly getting my way through. Maybe you want to take some off my hands?

Sweet potato soup with feta and za'atar oil
Adapted from Food52

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons za'atar
1 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 leek, thinly sliced
5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into a 1" dice
2 quarts vegetable stock
feta cheese

In a small pot, combine the olive oil and za'atar and heat over medium heat until warmed-through. Be careful not to burn the za'atar. Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool and infuse.

In a large pot, melt the butter with a few glugs of olive oil. Add the onion, carrot and leek and cook until soft but not browned. Add the sweet potato and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer over lower heat for about half an hour, or until the potatoes are soft. Puree with an immersion blender and add more stock if too thick or cook down a bit if too thin. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

To serve, garnish with crumbled feta and za'atar oil to taste. That's it!

Note: I made this soup when a friend came over for dinner and made the scalloped tomatoes as well since I still had tomatoes and half a baguette in the house. Made it with capers this time...and as predicted it was good!