My friend Pallavi made this outstanding Indian curry with purple potatoes, peppers and baby turnips when we went to her and her husband Parag’s place for dinner one Saturday evening.  This combination of vegetables was very unusual for me, but as I found out it wasn’t a veggie combination that Pallavi makes often either. Pallavi explained that she had just picked up these vegetables from the Farmer’s Market and decided to use this rather unusual combination of veggies as the inspiration for her very delicious North Indian spiced curry.  Here is the recipe.

Purple Potato, Pepper & Baby Turnips Curry
recipe courtesy of Pallavi

Ingredients:

• 4-6 purple potatoes – about 5 cups
• 1 large yellow pepper cut lengthwise
• 1 large red pepper cut lengthwise
• 1 bunch of turnips – about 6 turnips cut into lengthwise pieces
• 1 large onion chopped about 2 cups
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• Oil
• Salt
• Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish about 2 tbsp
• Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

Toss chopped onions in 2 tbsp oil and spread on a baking sheet.  Bake in oven at 350 for 45 minutes -1 hour until onions are caramelized. Take out of oven and let it cool.  In a food processor, blend the caramelized onions to form a thick onion paste. Set aside.

Boil potatoes until tender. Remove the skin and cut into large chunks and set aside.

In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp oil and toast cumin seeds for a couple seconds. Add asafoetida powder and then add the turnips and peppers and cook until vegetables are tender, about 5-10 minutes.

Now add the cooked potatoes and all the spices and gently mix together. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Lastly add caramelized onion sauce and cook for 5 more minutes to allow the onion flavors to get absorbed into the vegetables. Turn the stove off and stir in juice of 1 lemon and chopped fresh cilantro. Serve hot with chapatis, rice, or tortillas.