Tamarind Bombay Potatoes with Yoghurt Chaat Crunch
Baby potatoes roasted with cumin, coriander, chilli and tamarind, then finished with yoghurt, herbs and crisp chaat-style toppings. A tangy, spiced BBQ side that brings brightness, crunch and cooling contrast to sticky pork ribs.
Ingredients
- 1 kg baby potatoes halved
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder or mild chilli powder
- 1 tsp fine sea salt plus extra for boiling
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 120 g Greek yoghurt
- 1 small red onion finely diced
- 15 g fresh coriander roughly chopped
- 10 g mint leaves roughly chopped
- 30 g sev crushed poppadoms or crispy chickpea noodles
- 1 green chilli finely sliced
- 1 tsp chaat masala optional
Instructions
Boil the potatoes until just tender
- Put the halved baby potatoes in a pan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. They should be tender at the edges but not breaking apart.
Steam dry the potatoes
- Drain the potatoes and leave them in the colander for 5 minutes. Give them a gentle shake so the cut sides roughen slightly. That texture helps the spices cling.
Bloom the spices
- Warm the vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric, chilli powder and salt, then take the pan off the heat.
Coat and roast
- Heat the oven to 220°C. Toss the potatoes with the spiced oil, then spread them on a large tray. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until the cut sides are browned and the skins are wrinkled.
Add the tamarind glaze
- Mix the tamarind paste, brown sugar and lime juice in a small bowl. Spoon this over the hot potatoes, toss carefully, then return the tray to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes. The glaze should cling and darken, not burn.
Add yoghurt and fresh toppings
- Spoon the potatoes onto a serving plate. Drizzle over the Greek yoghurt, then scatter with red onion, coriander, mint and green chilli.
Finish with crunch
- Add the sev, crushed poppadoms or crispy chickpea noodles just before serving. Dust lightly with chaat masala if using. Serve warm, while the potato edges are still sticky and the topping is crisp.
Notes
Baby potatoes work well because their skins hold the spice and their centres stay creamy. I halve them so the cut sides brown and take on the tamarind glaze. If you use larger potatoes, cut them into 3cm chunks and keep the pieces even. Uneven potatoes give you a tray of hard corners and tired fluffy bits, and nobody needs that beside ribs.
Tamarind paste varies wildly. Some jars are sharp and thin, others are thick, dark and almost date-like. Taste yours before mixing. If it’s very sour, keep the brown sugar as written. If it’s sweet already, reduce the sugar by half. Chaat masala is optional, but I like its salty, tangy finish. Use it lightly, especially if the ribs are already well salted.
Nutrition
Calories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 970mgFiber: 7gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 420IUCalcium: 115mgIron: 2.8mg
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