Bateta shak dry ( SAFARI)

Bateta shak koru

4 medium size potatoes

5 tab sp oil

1 1/2 tea sp jeeru

pinch asafoetida

1 1/2 tea sp salt

3/4 tea sp turmeric powder

1 tea sp chili powder

2 tea sp dhana jeeru

cilantro.

cilantro

In Africa the koru batata nushak (or dry potato curry)  was something the Gujarati folks always carried on long journeys or on desi style picnics.

The shak and thepla combo was top of the list for any  day out as both could be eaten relatively neatly without sauce dripping everywhere and minimum use of cutlery disposable or otherwise. This shak was known as safari nu shak and is simply made with potatoes cut into thin wedges and cooked (stir fried mostly) with oil and spices.  The idea is not to add any water into the curry itself but either cook it partly in steam (by placing a plate of water on the pan in which you are cooking the shak or by stir frying it.  Nothing that makes to potato soggy eg: lemon juice, water, tomato is added.

So here is how:

Slice the potato into thin wedges

heat the oil in a pan and add the jeeru and asafoetida.

Add the potato wedges and then add the spices (not cilantro)

stir fry the potato wedges until the potatoes begin to crsip and cook.

If you feel that the stir frying wont entirely cook the potaoes, simply put a heat proof plate over the pan of potatoes and pour half a cup of water onto the plate.  let the potatoes cook in the steam for a few minutes until tender.

Uncover the pan and let the moisture evaporate – do not stir at this point otherwise the cooked potatoes will turn to mush.

Take the pan off the heat, garnish the shak with cilatntro and serve with thepla.