Curry Home Fries
If you’re like me, you might overshop when it comes to basics—especially during a pandemic. I often find myself stocking up on potatoes with no clear plan for how I will actually use them. This pretty much goes directly against our Sustainable on a Budget guide, but hey they’re potatoes, right? They’re versatile and last forever if you store them right.
Lately, I’ve been making some home fries that make restaurant potatoes look booooring. While I love diner home fries, there’s no way for me to replicate that hungover crawl into a red booth on a Saturday morning, but I could make my own twist! It’s a simple one folks: for this recipe we’re just adding some more spice (curry powder and chili powder to be exact), putting the potatoes in the oven and saying “good luck!” But I swear, these are so delectable you’ll find yourself coming back to this recipe all the time.
I spent the summer of 2018 in northern India, and I loved the food there. I often find myself trying to replicate dishes and while I barely come close, it’s still my favorite flavor profile to cook with. These potatoes make a great side dish for daal, a wonderful base for bowls of all kinds, and still serve as a great breakfast food—this is just a more exciting version!
Much like french fries, the essence of these curry home fries is in the crunch and the salt. I’ve included in the instructions how important it is to make sure every single one gets a good crunchy side, and don’t be afraid to add the extra salt at the end—you won't regret it!
Find the recipe below!
Yield : 4 cups
Time: Prep 10 minutes, cooking 40 minutes
Ingredients
4 cups of potatoes (3-4 large russet potatoes)
1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoons black pepper
½ teaspoons garlic powder
½ teaspoons chili powder (or pepper flakes for a bit more of a punch!)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons oil (olive, avocado or vegetable would all work)
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wash well and peel potatoes. I usually peel them a bit imperfectly to leave some patches of skin for texture.
Cut potatoes into small cubes the size of dice or sugar cubes. While regular home fries are a bit larger, the small size gives you more surface area for crunch and flavor!
Toss the potato cubes in a large bowl with all the spices, oil and half a teaspoon of salt until the potatoes are evenly coated in oil and spices.
Spread potatoes out over a baking sheet and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Make sure you spread out the potatoes so each piece has one side on the pan.
After 20 minutes, toss the potatoes so they each have a different side down. Roast for another 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, and let cool for five minutes. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of salt over potatoes and enjoy!
These curry home fries are naturally vegan and gluten free. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days and reheated to enjoy later (but they’re definitely best fresh off the pan!).
Best Practices:
Avoid packaged produce, or really anything packaged for that matter. This is not to say that you’ll always have the option, but when you do, go for it! For example, you will normally see potatoes in large plastic bags, but you can also buy them loose without plastic. So take the opportunity to use your hands, smell the produce, build that relationship with your ingredients!
Try to bring your own bags when you go shopping for these ingredients as well as the rest of your groceries. Try to pick grocery stores that are close to your home or along your commute to reduce fuel needed for transportation.
Make sure you’re not buying more than you think you’ll reasonably use but look for bulk options when you can! Even if you buy spices in packages, larger containers use less packaging per volume. Luckily ingredients like spices and potatoes can last a long time in your pantry so if you buy more than you need, you’ll likely have plenty of other opportunities to use them.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let us know! If you really loved it, share it on social media and tag us (@groundedgrub), or, better yet, share it with your friends and family!
