Crunchy Topped Potato and Chickpeas with Tamarind Sauce

This is a lovely vegetarian dish I grew up with; it was always served as a snack if we had visitors. I sometimes make it if I don’t feel like having a big meal. It’s spicy, crunchy and tangy, and a bowl full of goodness. The topping is simply a savoury snack food that you can get at any Indian food store or supermarket in the nuts section.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil (we love Olivado)
200g tomato purée( we used Delmaine passata)
½ teaspoon salt
½-1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Dash of white vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato sauce (ketchup)
400-500g baby potatoes (we love Wilcox piccolos)
400g can chickpeas (we used Delmaine)
Handful of Bombay or bhuja mix
Small bunch chopped coriander
1 small red onion, chopped

Tamarind sauce:

3 teaspoons tamarind paste
4 teaspoons muscovado or brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cumin*
75ml water

Method

Heat oil in a saucepan, add tomato purée, salt, chilli powder and paprika and cook 2-3 minutes over a medium heat.
Add tomato paste, vinegar and ketchup and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel potatoes (no need if they are new) and cut into quarters. Parboil for 8-10 minutes then drain – or you can use tinned potatoes.
Rinse and drain chickpeas.
Roughly mash a small handful of potatoes.
Add to tomato mixture along with remaining potatoes and chickpeas. Simmer for a further 8-10 minutes.
Serve in small bowls with the crunchy Bombay mix and combined coriander and red onion sprinkled on top. Drizzle with tamarind sauce.

Tamarind sauce:

Simmer ingredients together in a small pan until sauce thickens. Allow to cool before serving. This sauce tastes better the next day and keeps well in the fridge for 1 month.

*Or cumin seeds, dry-roasted until fragrant then ground.

~Ashia Ismail-Singer www.ashiaismailsinger.com