Monday, August 30, 2010

Food on the Road - Simple Potato stir fry with green chilies and onions

Most domestic airlines charge special fees where ever they can. Now that we have gotten used to buying/packing our own food to take on the plane we are hit with having to pay for checked baggage. The whopping fees make sure we downsize on our luggage which may even be a good thing.



On a short trip who has the time to deal with missed or late luggage. This trip we were quite a few people, making it possible to fit everything we wanted in just our carry ons.



Besides clothing the most important item in our luggage is our trusted electric cooker. Packing the electric cooker is usually worth the hassle. Skipped taking sambhar powder for fear of the TSA monster but we took our chances withparuppu podi and tomato thokku.



Yogurt, rice and some pickles got us through dinners when we had to get over the tiredness of all the stuff we had eaten during day. Soma's comments on the stuff she thinks are required stuff for a trip on the last post helped with the list. With just the items listed below it is possible to have a decent mealeven when in a a hotel room with no kitchen.

Required stuff for a road trip
1. Electric Cooker
2. Pickle
3. Paruppu Podi
4. sambhar powder
5. Dal of some kind

This quick and easy potato stir fry is multipurpose. Simple but can be used as a side for rice or as a filling for sandwiches or pita pockets.



Simple Potato Stir Fry with green chilies and onions
Ingredients
1. 3-4 potatoes of any kind peeled and cut into small dice
2. 4-5 green chilies chopped
3. 1/2 -1 cup onions chopped
4. 1 tsp cayenne pepper powder or sambhar powder (optional)
5. salt to taste
6. 1-2 tsp of oil

Method
1. Boil the potatoes in salted water till soft but still holding its shape (10 minutes max)
2. In a wide mouthed pan heat oil, add the onions and saute till translucent
3. Add the chopped chilies and saute for a few minutes
4. Now add the drained potatoes saute for 10-15 minutes
5. Sprinkle the chili powder if adding and salt and saute for a few more minutes

17 comments:

  1. Nice list to travel.School hasnt started yet ISG? This recipe reminds me of potato podimas :)

    Got a surprise for you tomorrow in my blog.. if not for myself, someone has made me cook and eat(!!) the veggie you know I hate!

    Hope you didnt get any hiccups..Was thinking about you when I made it. You are not laughing, are you?

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  2. Nice to see you cook on vacation.. :) This stir-fry does seem to have minimal number of ingredients.

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  3. love that combo ...its my favorite too ...if one get aloo subzi with chilli n onion with a puri what else he want ..yummy

    Satya
    http://www.superyummyrecipes.com

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  4. I usually pack rolled up parathas to eat on the plane - far far better than the crummy stuff they sell called sandwiches. I used to take a mini electric cooker with me when travelling when my daughter was between 2-3 years - after that she has become quite the gourmand as far as eating out is concerned. We even lasted the entire two week trip to Oz this summer without any issues.

    So, must think of bringing that cooker out again on the next travel - would be great to have some khichdi on one of those late evenings!

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  5. Here some Airlines serve food and the other we have to buy. When we went to Rome we took our sanwithces with is and while most of the passengers were buying the food ( well the food they get for the money they pay was not worth at all) we took our sandwithces from our bags and munched on it with delight :-)

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  6. Usually I am the kind who does not want to cook on vacation :-) But I agree that I crave dal-cjawal after a couple of days.

    These days, 'coz LS is small we try to book places with a full kitchen and I carry rice, masoor dal, salt and butter.

    I love these kind of potato fries

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  7. I never go on long trips without those list. Esp. traveling with in-laws or parents.

    Simple and yummy potato fry.

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  8. Hi Indo. finally came online to thank you for the giveaway. am delighted to win this and please dont worry about the shipping. will also check if any of Hubby's collegues are travelling there. otherwise send it whenever you can.
    loved your travel food series very helpful. for my kid I always carry my small gas and the pressure cooker. this potato dish looks yum. love this between two pieces of bread.

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  9. I haven't tried taking food with me on the plane but last week was shocked to see a measly veg sandwich being sold for Rs 100 in the airport - just two slices of bread. Every time I travel, the airport food prices seem to go up and up.

    As for home cooked food on travel/vacation - the busy sightseeing/work don't let me eat much throughout the day nor have I never stayed long enough to miss our own food, quite happy to choose from what's available! :)

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  10. I guess with that rice and dal and rice cooker, you can even make arisim paruppu saadam at one go.

    Enough of dreaming and drooling at those yummy arsimparuppu recipes of yours. I think I should just buck up and make that arisimparrupu and taste it!!! Do you think it might be okay with brown rice?

    Those potatoes are so inviting!!!

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  11. Sowjanya, sigh! school has started. Almost similar to podimas because I overcooked the potatoes.

    You did good, once you get used to BG, it is a delight.


    SS, the vacation was a few weeks ago but cook we did.

    Satya, yes with puri's but not while on vacation :)

    Miri, while traveling in India is no problem, around here you crave for Indian food and there is no way to satisfy it unless you get a chance to cook.

    HC no kidding, we carried breakfast with us and that is exactly what was going on in my head.

    Sandeepa, I am not too keen on cooking either but the tongue is a strange creature. Electric cooker with some dal is a must have.

    Sayantani, you are very welcome. I am trying to find someone too, let's see.

    Sra, absolutely. There is no point in stressing over cooking food but a few days and the craving hits, it is hard to ignore.

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  12. Someone's been to Acadia. :} And you crawled down to the beach for that shot of Bass Light, too. Love, love, love that place. Hubs and I honeymooned in Maine and have been back once. Next time, like you did, we'll rent digs w/ a kitchen. Your yummy potato stir fry would have been a welcome repast rather than weeks of over-the-top meals in pricey restaurants.

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  13. Kay, definitely. Brown rice works well in arismparuppu saatham. I have tried it a couple of times once with carrots,beans and peas and without. Both taste good.

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  14. Susan Bingo! It is a beautiful place indeed. We spend 4 days there and would not have minded staying longer. The kitchen place was in PEI though. We were in downtown Bar Harbor and yes those restaurants sure dug a big hole in our wallet. The electric cooker and the condiments we carried did save us a few.

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  15. what a lovely vacation photo! And i love the idea of this simple potato dish. I am having a delight with the new spice box, and am taking a special trip this weekend to get some very special fresh, whole, spices to put inside of it. Thank you again. I am now thinking this potato fry might be a nice breakfast on those chilly mornings...

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  16. Yeah, I forgot, we can pat the rottis like how we do vadai in vazhai elai..Updated the post also, thnx..

    U know ISG, I am hooked on to BG now. You know who is after them I guess..Made it twice this week and I think its delicious now(sob sob huh?) Weird..Atleast someone brought a change in my eating habits...Hope it stays this way..

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