Savory, Tasty Chinese Potatoes are a rustic and aromatic side dish with an earthy feel.
Chinese Potatoes Side Dish (Koorka)
® This is a RAS signature Recipe©
A detailed introduction and related links is available on the
Recipe Intro ↓ Check it out or scroll down for the recipe ⇓.
EAT AND TELL!!! Let us know if you tried – name of recipe post
| ♦Mail me your pics and testimonials 🙂 – recipesaresimple@gmail.com ♦If you make the dish and share it on your social media please don‘t forget to tag me @recipesaresimple and hashtag it #recipesaresimple on any platform. ♥Please rate the recipe if you have tried it below ↓♦Quick Browse to see All Recipes by Category.♦World Cuisines to browse recipes by Country ♥Thanks for visiting www.recipesaresimple.com |
Chinese Potatoes Side Dish (Koorka)
Description
Chinese potato, or "koorka" as it's known in Kerala, India, is a versatile and highly prized tuber, particularly in South Indian and Southeast Asian cuisine. Despite its name, it's not a true potato but a root vegetable from the mint family, which gives it a unique, earthy, and slightly herbaceous aroma when cooked. Its use in cooking is defined by its firm, starchy texture and the distinctive flavor it imparts to a dish.
Ingredients:
Instructions
-
Boil the cleaned, chopped Chinese potatoes in just a little water with turmeric and salt to taste. Cook till they can be cut up with a fork. Drain and set aside.
-
Heat oil in a wok.
-
Add mustard seeds, then black gram dhal and allow the mustard seeds to splutter.
-
Add curry leaves and dry chilies.
-
When aromatic add garlic, onion, green chilly and saute till golden.
-
Add the potato and stir fry on low heat. till all the flavors combine. Add salt to taste and pepper.
-
Sprinkle some water and gently cook, covered till the potatoes mash if pressed with a fork. Mash the potatoes just a bit so that some potatoes are mashed slightly and some remain whole.
-
Enjoy.
Note
- You can add ½ cup of grated coconut before covering if you would like a ‘thoran’. Toss well on higher heat.
- You may also add coconut slivers ‘thenga kothu’ for bite and flavor.
- The preparation of koorka is a time-consuming but essential first step. The tubers are small, knobbly, and covered in a thick layer of mud and a fibrous skin. Use kitchen gloves to prevent hand staining. Common cleaning methods include:
- Soaking and Peeling: Soaking the koorka in water for an extended period to loosen the mud and then scraping the skin off with a knife. Due to their small and irregular size, using a peeler may prove tricky unless you have a pointed peeler. Instead, use a small, sharp knife. Look for koorka that is larger in size, as they are easier to peel.
- Boiling and Peeling: Pressure cooking or boiling the tubers for a few minutes until they are slightly soft, which makes the skin easier to peel and prevents hand-staining.
- The "Gunny Bag" Method: If the outer skin is heavily crusted, you can follow this trick: Placing the tubers in a rough bag/ sack/cloth bag/ chaaku and beating them against a hard surface like a countertop to rub off the skin, in the process. It makes the crust loose and easier to peel, as a result.
