Cilantro. Either you love it or you hate it. I’m from the loving side and I tend to add some fresh cilantro leaves to just any type of food. Sadly, in the Israeli kitchen cilantro is kind of left out and parsley gets all the fame. The Thai cooking trend saved the situation a bit but still it is one of the most underrated greens.

In Indian cooking its quite the opposite, both cilantro leaves and coriander seeds are central to lots of dishes and spice mixes. This curry is called in Hindi “Hariyali Aloo” which practically means green potato. This curry is based on lots of cilantro and mint which are blended together with spices and cooked with potato cubes. The potato cubes in this recipe can be replaced with paneer cubes or chicken breast pieces.

The end result is slightly sour and has a special taste. It is served with rice or some Indian bread and is a great side-dish in a Thali.

Cooking time: 30 minutes (not including the potatoes)

Ingredients (3-4 servings)

• 3 cooked and peeled potatoes
• 1 cm cinnamon stick
• 1 cardamon pod
• 1 cloves
• 6 garlic cloves
• 3 cm ginger (about 1 tbs grated ginger)
• 2 onions
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup mint leaves
• 1 green chili
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbs butter (optional, can be replaced with oil)
• 1/2 tsp coriander (optional)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)
• 1q3 tsp salt
• 1q2 tsp garam masala
• juice of 1/2 a lemon (can be replaced with 3 tbs yogurt)

What to do

Cook the potatoes (in a pot with water, in a steamer or in the oven) until soft. Cool, peel and dice.

Chop the onions. Heat 1 tbs of oil in a pot and add the cinnamon stick, cloves and the seeds of the cardamon pod. Cook for a minute or until it starts spreading an aroma. Add crushed garlic and grated ginger. Cook for half a minute and add the chopped onion.

Move the pot content into a blender and blend together with the cilantro, mint, green chili and a little water (few spoons). In the same pot as before heat some oil, add the bay leaf and cumin seeds and cook for a minute. Add the blended mixture, butter, turmeric and coriander and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add a little water if needed. If you chose to add yogurt instead of the lemon add it now.

Add the potato cubes (or paneer or chicken), salt and half to 3/4 cup of water, mix and cook for 10 more minutes on medium heat. Add garam masala and lemon juice, mix well, cook for 1 or 2 mote minutes and turn off the heat.

Serve with white rice or some garlic bread, or as an interesting and refreshing side-dish.

In short

Cook 3 potatoes, peel and dice. Heat 1 tbs oil in a pot, add 1 cm cinnamon stick, seeds from 1 cardamon pod and 1 cloves.  Cook for a minute and add 6 crushed garlic cloves and 3 cm grated ginger. Cook for half a minute and add 2 chopped onions. Fry until golden. Move the content of the pot to a blender and blend together with 1 cup cilantro leaves, 1/4 mint leaves, 1 green chili and a little water. Heat some oil in the same pot and add 1 bay leaf and 1 tsp cumin seeds. Add the blended mixture, 1 tbs butter, 1/4 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp coriander and cook  for 4 minutes. Add the potato cubes, 1/3 tsp salt and up to 3/4 cup of water and cook for 10 minutes. Add 1q2 tsp garam masala and juice of 1/2 a lemon. Mix, cook for 1-2 more minutes and turn off the heat. Serve with white rice or Indian bread.