Perfect for a summer picnic or a backyard BBQ, this potato salad is far from the common mayonnaise based salad of my childhood. Toasted spices, lemony red onion, waxy fingerling potatoes and peas that burst in your mouth! So delicious we’ve eaten it with dinner three weeks in a row!
I love cooking indian food, however it’s often rich and saucy and although comforting, it can be a little on the heavy side for hot summer days. This potato salad is AH-mazing! From the first bite my partner, Adrian, exclaimed “This is THE BEST potato salad I’ve ever had!” and I would have to agree.
This time of year I love seeing the tender fingerling potatoes at the farmers market. Small brown paper bags line up, with edges rolled down showing off the beautiful potatoes inside!
Indian Spiced Potato Salad
serves: 4-6 as a side
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. potatoes (I used fingerling but any waxy potato will work, no need to peel them)
- 1 Red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.) Olive oil
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2″ piece Ginger, minced
- 2 Jalapeños, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp. Cumin seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp. Coriander seeds
- 3/4 tsp. Mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp. Fennel seeds
- 2 tsp. Garam Masala
- 2 cups Peas (fresh or frozen)
- 1 bunch Cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
While you are waiting for the water to boil, thinly slice red onion and toss with the juice of one lemon in a large bowl. This is also a good time to mince garlic, ginger and jalapeños.
Add a tablespoon or two of salt to boiling water, then carefully add the potatoes. Cook for 10-15 minutes until cooked through (a knife should easily slide through the flesh). Drain and rinse under cold water for 1 minute.
While potatoes are cooking, heat oil in a medium size frying pan over medium low heat. Add ginger, garlic, jalapeños, cumin, coriander, mustard and fennel seeds. Stir to coat everything in oil, and continue to cook until everything is fragrant and seeds begin to pop (and before garlic starts to brown), about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garam masala and peas, continue to cook for 2 minutes, remove pan from heat.
Slice potatoes into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces and add to bowl with red onion. Pour the oily spice mixture over everything and stir thoroughly until well mixed. Season with salt and stir in cilantro.