Ingredients

1. Boiled potatoes – 3 to 4 (medium)
2. Oil – 4tbsp
3. Mustard seeds – 3/4th tsp
4. Methi seeds – 1/4th tsp (optional)
5. Cumin seeds – 1/2tsp (optional)
6. Chana dal – 1tbsp
7. Curry leaves -15
8. Dry chillies - 3
9. Onion – 2 (chopped) (medium)
10. Green chillies – 5 (chopped)
11. Turmeric powder – 1tsp
12. Chilli powder – 1/4th tsp (optional)
13. Water – 3cups
14. Salt a per taste
15. Coriander leaves – few or 2tbsp

Method

1. Can chop or slice the onions and keep it aside.
2. Boil the potatoes and keep it aside to cool.
3. Smash the potatoes roughly and keep it aside.
4. Now preheat the vessel, add oil, when it gets warm add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chana dal, dry chillies, curry leaves, it starts spluttering.
5. After few seconds, add onion, green chillies and fry it till it is lightly golden brown and transparent.
6. Now add turmeric powder and roast for few seconds then add water and cook for 8to10 min by closing the lid and then simmer it for 5min.
7. Cook till all the ingredients are cooked well in the liquid.
8. And there should be enough liquid to mix the potato and it should look like gravy/curry.
9. When the liquid mixture is well cooked, good aroma comes when you open the lid and liquid is reduced but enough water is there for the potatoes to mix.
10. Mix mashed potatoes and salt and boil it for 10min and simmer it for 10min, so that all the liquid is absorbed by the potato well and the potatoes are well blended in the curry/gravy. Switch it off and let it rest for 5min.
11. If the curry becomes thick can add water as per the requirement and cook for few minutes.
12. At last garnish with coriander leaves and mix it.
13. Serve it with masala dosa , puri , chapathi or rice.

Notes

1. The idea behind boiling water with other ingredients is to make the liquid full of flavour, like how we boil the vegetables for the stock, so that the curry/ gravy tastes good.
2. In this if you want can add 1/2tsp of chopped ginger and can put sliced or slit chillies instead of chopping it.
3. I sometimes add 1/3rd cup of peas while adding potatoes.
4. It is up to, whether you want to add just potato or want to add carrot (1) and peas also.
5. While mixing potato, if the quantity of liquid is less then can add more and cook it as per your consistency.