Neha Bhandari’s Indian-spiced baked potatoes taste best when served with lemon and freshly chopped coriander.  Neha Bhandari

Neha Bhandari’s Indian-spiced baked potatoes taste best when served with lemon and freshly chopped coriander.  Neha Bhandari

New potatoes are in season in May in Luxembourg--perfect timing for Indian expat and personal stylist Neha Bhandari to share her family recipe.

“This is my favourite go-to recipe for an easy and quick-to-make tangy, spicy, delicious side dish,” the Mumbai native says. “Now that summer is approaching, it also makes for a great side dish for a barbecue party.”

Neha has called Luxembourg home for four years and through her business, StylizedU, she has already styled 17 nationalities so far. The work is flexible enough to suit her need for a work-life balance. A mother of two, Neha says she cooks “mainly Indian” most evenings so her family can benefit from the spices traditionally used in that style of cooking. “I use a lot of things like cloves and turmeric, which is a great anti-inflammatory and helps against colds.”

Here’s Neha’s recipe for jazzing up simple new potatoes. As she says, “The heavenly aroma and burst of flavours will undoubtedly leave you craving more!”

A spice blend including peppercorn, dried chilis, cumin, salt and coriander helps this recipe pack a tangy punch.
A spice blend including peppercorn, dried chilis, cumin, salt and coriander helps this recipe pack a tangy punch. Photo: Neha Bhandari

Indian-style baked potatoes

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp oil (mustard or olive oil, or ghee)
  • 1 kg baby potatoes
  • 1/3 lemon
  • ½ cup freshly chopped coriander leaves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp Himalayan salt
  • Spice mix:
    • ½ tbsp cumin seeds
    • ½ tbsp black peppercorn
    • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
    • 4 dried red chili peppers
    • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
The potatoes require 30 minutes of cooking (plus prep time). Photo: Neha Bhandari
The potatoes require 30 minutes of cooking (plus prep time). Photo: Neha Bhandari

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 250°C.
  2. Cut the potatoes, leaving skin on, into bite-sized quarters.
  3. Dry roast the spice mix in a pan and then let it cool. Blend afterwards into a coarse mix.
  4. Add the oil, spice mix, salt and Himalayan salt to the cut potatoes. Mix well so the potatoes are coated well.
  5. Line a baking tray with aluminium foil and transfer the potatoes onto it, spreading them out so they are evenly spaced on the tray.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked and golden brown.
  7. Garnish with lemon and the freshly chopped coriander.

Although Neha says there isn’t a special way to wish someone a nice meal, “We do let the elderly and children serve themselves first out of respect.”

Enjoy!