Super Fast Aloo Masala

I just graduated a couple of weeks back. Yay!! It feels so good to be done with all my projects and I wake up everyday feeling good that I don't have to deal with any assignments anymore! The last two years have been pretty hectic and I wasn't been able to cook and experiment as much as I wanted to.I have a lot of time on my hands these days and along with hunting for jobs I've been trying out different things in my kitchen.
We (my husband and I) just moved to a new place a couple of weeks back and I'm really loving my new kitchen. Apartments here in Houston usually have regular laminate countertops. But, this kitchen has a granite countertop and I really love it. All windows in the apartment face this wooded preserve so we have absolute privacy and a gorgeous view. Anyway, enough about our apartment...I woke up a little later than usual today and was not in the mood to cook. My husband works very close and comes home for lunch everyday. So I thought I'd just make some frozen aloo parathas. Then at about 11 I suddenly had this urge to cook and realized that the only veggies I had were some baby potatoes..so I got to work..made some dough for chapatis and started on the potatoes...I just kind of improvised and trust me it is super fast!

Super Fast Aloo Masala


10-12 baby potatoes halved or 4 regular ones cut into cubes.
1 tbsp Ginger-garlic-green chilly (GGG) paste (I always have this handy in my fridge)
2 large tomatoes finely chopped
1 tsp red chilly powder (or less if your powder is very hot)
1/2 tsp Punjabi garam masala (I used the Everest brand-this ingredient really makes the difference)
1 Tbsp Oil
Cilantro-finely chopped
Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a pan and then add the GGG paste. On medium heat, saute this till it changes color and is light brown. Then add the chopped tomatoes and saute this till most of the water evaporates. Then add both the masalas and turn the heat to medium-low and continue to saute until the mixture starts leaving oil on the sides. The whole thing should smell very fragrant. Then add the potatoes, salt and about a cup of water and cover it..let this cook on low heat. Stir it every five minutes or so. Cook till the potatoes are done. Turn the heat off, sprinkle the cilantro and serve hot with chapatis or parathas.

This was a totally easy and tasty curry and I will be making this more often. I might also add some peas next time and turn it into aloo-mutter!