Tandoori Aloo Recipe | Indian Party Appetizers

Baby potatoes frequently appear in my pantry and I have blogged various recipes using them like Baby Potato Biriyani, Pudina Aloo, Aloo Palak, Dum Aloo, Chutney waale Dum Aloo, Baby Potato roast and Jeera Aloo. Baby potatoes make the dish look pretty and hence I replace them where ever I can use them instead of the usual potatoes.

Tandoori Aloo is made with the par boiled baby potatoes marinated in a spicy aromatic yogurt mixture and is grilled in oven until they are crisp.It can be served as a finger food or as an appetizer in parties.I sometime even stuff them in frankie rolls,they taste delicious too.

You can marinate them for long for up to 15 hrs or even upto a day,the more they marinate the better the flavor and taste of Tandoori Aloo.

Tandoori Aloo Recipe:

(Serves 3-4)

Ingredients:

20-22 Baby potatoes

1 1/3 cup Fresh Hung Curd(made with 2 cups fresh Curds)

1 1/2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
2 tbsp Roasted Chana powder (Besan)

1 tbsp Tandoori masala*(ready made)

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/4 tsp Garam masala

1 tsp roasted Cumin powder

1 tsp Kasuri Methi

1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Chili powder(gives good color and less spice)

a pinch of green and black Cardamom powder

1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup

2 tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

Oil,to bash over potatoes while grilling

1 tsp Chat masala,to sprinkle

Method:

• Wash the baby potatoes and pressure cook for 1-2 whistles.Cool them.
• Peel the potato skins and prick the potatoes with fork to make tiny holes in it.This will help in absorbing better flavors while it is marinating.
• Pour the thick curd in a muslin cloth and place it in a strainer and place it on a vessel to trap the water from it.Keep it refrigerated until its usage,it takes 1-2hrs to get thick hung curd.
• Add ginger garlic paste,turmeric powder,roasted cumin powder,red chili powder,tandoori masala,roasted chana powder,kasuri methi(crush it in your hands before adding),tomato ketchup,garam masala,cardamom powder,salt and oil whisk well until you get a uniform mixture.
• Add boiled,peeled and pricked potatoes and mix well.
• Marinate the potatoes in the yogurt mixture overnight or up to a day.The more you soak the more it will absorb flavors.
• Preheat the oven at 180 degrees(350 F) for 10 minutes.
• Spread a microwave foil over the baking sheet and grease it well with oil and carefully place the potatoes giving some space in between each other.
• Bash or sprinkle some more oil over the potatoes and bake it in preheated oven for 15-20 mins.Keep an eye over the potatoes after 10 minutes.After 10 mins turn them over and bash the potatoes with extra oil and bake them again until they turn golden brown in color.

Sprinkle chat masala over the potatoes and serve them hot.

Serving suggestion:You can serve them over a bed of thinly sliced onions,capsicum,tomatoes with generous squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle chat masala over the top of potatoes.You can serve them as they are or prick them with toothpicks and serve as an appetizer in parties.

*Tandoori masala is easily available in the shops which gives a nice flavor to potatoes.If you do not get it,you can still make these potatoes.Increase the quantity of Garam masala to 1 tsp and also add 1 tsp Coriander powder,1 tsp Red chili powder(spicy variety) and 1 tsp Chat masala to the yogurt mixture and mix well and follow the same recipe.

Notes:

1. Do not pressure cook the potatoes for long,they should be parboiled as they are baked again in the oven.
2. Marinating the potatoes for long will make the potatoes tasty,the more they soak the better they taste.
3. If you want you can add a pinch of red food color to the yogurt mixture.I do not add food colors in my cooking and hence I avoided it.That is the reason I add Kashmiri chili powder and tomato ketchup which gives a better color to potatoes.