Today on the blog we welcome author Rinku Bhattacharya, with her guest post ‘Well Seasoned Mint and Potato Salad Recipe‘, as part of the blog tour for her new book ‘Spices and Seasons, Simple Sustainable Indian Flavors’, which was released on 15th May 2014. This post contains affiliate links.

Rinku Bhattacharya (spicechronicles.com) was born in India, and now lives in a house with a vibrant backyard in Hudson Valley, New York with her husband, an avid gardener, and their two children.

Rinku’s simple, sustainable approach to Indian cooking is showcased on her blog, Spice Chronicles, and in her Journal News column “Spices and Seasons.” Rinku has been teaching recreational cooking classes for the past nine years, and works extensively with local area farmer’s markets on seasonal demonstrations and discussions.

Rinku is also the author of The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles (Hippocrene Books, 2012), winner of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2013 for Best Indian Cuisine. She writes for the Poughkeepsie Journal, the Journal News, and several online sites, and is a frequent guest on CT Style TV.

Well Seasoned Mint and Potato Salad

Much as I like a heavier creamy potato salad, this recipe with loads of flavor and a light crisp citrusy finish will make you realize that you can enjoy a potato salad without guilt. This last summer, my mother got me hooked on grapefruit juice, so I like using it for this recipe but you can use lime juice if you prefer. With some imagination, this salad will remind you of the North Indian alu chat. It works well with both western-style and Indian-style meals and pairs especially well with the pineapple chicken wings on page 23.

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Chilling time: 20 minutes | Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

3 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 medium potatoes, boiled and cubed
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 green chilies, minced
⅓ cup grapefruit juice or the juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon black salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok and add the mustard seeds and wait till they pop. Add the garlic and gently cook for about 1 to 2 minutes until pale golden. Stir in the red pepper flakes and black pepper.

2. Add the potatoes and toss gently until they are coated and warmed through. Mixture should be very fragrant and the spices should be coating the potatoes with specs of golden brown.

3. Place in a mixing bowl and toss with the red onions, green chilies, grapefruit or lime juice, and black salt. Mix in the mint. Let the mixture chill for about 20 minutes before serving.

Rinku Bhattacharya combines her two great loves―Indian cooking and sustainable living―to give readers a simple, accessible way to cook seasonally, locally, and flavorfully. Inspired by the bounty of local produce, mostly from her own backyard, Rinku set out to create recipes for busy, time-strapped home cooks who want to blend Indian flavors into nutritious family meals.

Arranged in chapters from appetizers through desserts, the cookbook includes everything from small bites, soups, seafood, meat and poultry, and vegetables, to condiments, breads, and sweets. You’ll find recipes for tempting fare like “Mango and Goat Cheese Mini Crisps,” “Roasted Red Pepper Chutney,” “Crisped Okra with Dry Spice Rub,” “Smoky Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Puree,” and “Red Harvest Masala Cornish Hens,” to name a few.

As exotic and enticing as these recipes sound, the ingredients are easily found and the instructions are simple. Rinku encourages readers to explore the bounty of their local farms and markets, and embrace the rich flavors of India to cook food that is nutritious, healthy, seasonal and most importantly, delicious.

www.spicechronicles.com
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