One of my favourite memories, while I was in Delhi in my first year of college, is relishing the vast array of delicious street foods on my way back to the PG. From tikki chaat to choose bhature and golgappe, the options of decadent street foods are endless. However, my favourite was the Desi Chinese platter that I savour in Lajpat Nagar amidst all the street foods. Consisting of noodles, chilli potato, chilli paneer and Manchurian was enough to fill me up.
Based in Odisha, I was unaware of the decadent dish- chilli potato. Although there are a lot of desi Chinese corners here, chilli potato is not as famous as it is in Delhi. The crispy fried potato strips, along with the spicy gravy, tugged at my heartstrings at once. However, I failed miserably when I tried to recreate the same flavours at home. The potatoes were soggy, the gravy wasn’t tasty enough, and the aroma wasn’t tempting to woo me to grab another bite. After many trials, I finally learned how to make street food at home. So, to help you do the same, here are some easy tips and tricks you need to keep in mind.
- Use medium-sized potatoes and cut them into sticks with one-centimetre width.
- To make the potatoes soft and give them a perfect texture, soak them in cold water for 20 to 30 minutes.
- While frying the potatoes, make sure the temperature of the oil is hot enough to make the potatoes crispy. Keep the flame on high when you add the potatoes and reduce it to medium afterwards.
- Make the chilli potato with roasted sesame oil for better taste.
- Be careful while sauteeing the chopped ingredients, as burning them will taste bitter.
- Finish the dish with a drizzle of white vinegar and chopped green onions for authentic flavours and aroma.