South Indian Style Roast Potato

In South India, people would cut the Potatoes into cubes and add enough water to cover it, bring it to a boil, and then they would strain the water or the starch from the Potatoes, and roast them with very little oil.
The idea behind this, is to have a non- sticking potatoes, devoid of all the starch. It is an excellent idea for people who love regular Potatoes but being Diabetic have to avoid eating this otherwise healthy vegetable. Though, some nutrients maybe lost by doing this, all is not lost, and one can enjoy guilt free Potatoes roasted with very little oil.
If anybody knows the reason, as to why in many South Indian homes this practice was prevalent, please feel free to share your knowledge here.

Recipe: South Indian Style Potato Roast
Serves: 4-5 people
Ingredients:
6 medium sized regular Potatoes
Peel them if they are too muddy or difficult to clean, otherwise wash them well and keep the skin, and cut them into small cubes
In a pan transfer these Potatoes and fill it with enough water to cover them. and bring them to boil for a few minutes, and then switch off the flame, and strain the water/ starch from the Potatoes.

Other Ingredients:

2 tsp of oil
1/2 tsp each of Cumin and Mustard seeds
1/3 tsp of Turmeric Powder
1/3 tsp of Red Kashmiri Chilli Powder
A pinch of Asafoetida (optional)
Salt to taste
1 tsp of Cumin and Coriander Powder mix
A few Curry leaves

For Garnishing
A few fresh leaves of Coriander ((optional)

Method:
Heat a pan (a nonstick pan would be better for people following Oil free diet), once hot add the Oil and add the Cumin and Mustard seeds and let them crackle.
Next add the curry leaves and the Potatoes, Turmeric powder, and Salt
Stir it once keeping the flame in medium
You will find the Potatoes hardly sticking to the pan.
Keep stirring it once in a while, till the Potatoes are cooked from the inside and crisp from the outside.
Lastly add the Red Chilly Powder,and Asafoetida, and give everything a good mix.

Cook them for a few seconds and switch off the flame. Transfer it to a plate or bowl and garnish it with fresh Coriander leaves.

People who are in oil free diet, can just bake these Potatoes, turning them once in a while, so that they get evenly roasted.

(I may be wrong in my reasons for the Potatoes being cooked in this way, but they were and are still cooked in this manner, not only during my grandma's times, but even now. Probably people also thought, it was an easy way to reduce the amount of oil used in roasting, and thus being safe from Cholesterol too).

There were so many things,

that were done in olden days, and we also blindly followed them without knowing the real reason behind such things. We never even bothered to ask why they did such things. Isn't it strange?

Potato Roast South Indian Style (with just 2 tsps of Oil)

3 photos