Potatoes are heart and soul of Konkani cusine. Potatoes are either consumed by making into potato chips, potato bhajja, potato masala, potato ghassi, smashed potato or potato ukkari. Potato will be used as a main ingredient in other dishes as well. Under Kooka Ukkari (Potato curry) with variations, I will be discussing on different ways a potato ukkari is prepared in Konkani homes. I will also tell the various combinations in which it is eaten/served. The main difference in all these Kooka Ukkari (Potato curry) with variations is in the seasoning and even then each type has a different taste and flavour. In all the types I have not used any onion or garlic except one.
Various combinations in which Potato ukkari is eaten /served
You can have potato ukkari along with idili, dosa, udidha sandhan and udidha appo,rava upma.
Potato ukkari is wraped in banana leaf along with soft idili and sandhan and is made into a parcel. This is usually carried during train journey. If you add more oil and roast the potatoes nicely without adding onions potato ukkari will stay without any damage for one whole day.
Potato ukkari served along with Pej (‘Kanji’ in Malayalam), Dhali thoy and papapd is a very good reviving food especially after long journey or after working for long hours in the hot sun.
Some people like to have potato ukkari along with curd. They either have potato ukkari along with curd alone or pour some curd on top of the rice and have this thakka seeth along with steaming hot potato ukkari.
Type 1
Ingredients
You need
- 1 cup potato cubes
- 1/2 tspn red chilli powder (Or as per your spiciness level)
- Oil for seasoning
- A small spoon mustard seeds
- Water as required to cook the potatoes
- Salt to taste
Method
Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut them into cubes and drop in water and keep aside.
Heat oil in a kadai /pan. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter switch off the flame and add chilli powder and sauté in oil for a second till the raw flavour of the chilli powder goes off. Now switch on the flame (Low flame) add the cubed potatoes and and sauté them in oil for 5 minutes. Add the required water.
Close the kadai with a lid and cook. In between check for doneness. Once the potatoes are half cooked add the salt and mix well. Cook again till fully cooked and all the water has evaporated.
Your potato ukkari is ready to be served.
Type 2
Instead of red chilli powder add red chilli flakes. The rest of the procedure remains the same.
Type 3 Adding onions
Ingredients
You need
- 1 cup potato cubes
- 1 medium size onion cut into cubes or small pieces
- 3/4th tspn red chilli powder (Or as per your spiciness level)
- Oil for seasoning
- A small spoon mustard seeds
- Water as required to cook the potatoes
- Salt to taste
Method
Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut them into cubes and drop in water and keep aside. Heat oil in a kadai /pan. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter switch off the flame and add chilli powder and sauté in oil for a second till the raw flavour of the chilli powder goes off. Now switch on the flame (Low flame) and add the cut onions and sauté in the oil for 1 minute. Now add the cubed potatoes
and sauté them for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the required water. Close the kadai with a lid and cook.
In between check for doneness. Once the potatoes are half cooked add the salt and mix well. Cook again till fully cooked and water evaporates away.
Your potato ukkari is ready to be served.
