Aloo Gadde Hurda Uperi..Karnataka Style Stir Fried Potatoes

Scene1

It's her first day after marriage in her new home and she is midst a new family  where every one is trying to make her feel comfortable and saying nice things to her. There are kids playing in the house and MIL and her co-sister cooking breakfast in the kitchen assisted by her own co-sisters. FIL is watching news on TV and inspite of such normal activities happening around her she is feeling lost and left out. She sits in a corner observing everyone and suddenly notices that her younger brother in law is sitting on a sofa chair with a chopping board and knife and next to him are almost 6-7 kg of potatoes soaked in water. He would remove a potato, clean and wipe it and then meticulously cut thin slices. She wonders, why is he spending so much time cutting thin slices at such a slow pace with so much of patience. Hesitantly, she asks him why are you cutting them? The reply she gets was a simple sentence 'for making Hurda Uperi'.

She is not able to understand the word and with a confused face looks towards her MIL for an explanation, the explanation comes but from MIL's co-sister. The new bride is informed that the dish is a family favorite made using the potatoes and all family members fight, so that they get to cut the potatoes. The bride is satisfied to an extent but not completely. She relishes the preparation during lunch  along with rice and Jeerige Kattu and her husband explains her later on that Aloo Gadde means Potatoes, Hurda means fried and Uperi means slices in Kannda. After given an explanation, she keeps wondering, how difficult the preparation would be...?

Scene 2

It's about a month after her marriage, the new bride has been learning regularly the Karnataka cuisine to reach her husband's heart. She finally asks her MIL to teach the 'Uperi'. This is the only word that she is able to recollect and her MIL keeps wondering what the DIL is trying to say. The DIL then explains that it's the family favorite made with potatoes. The kind hearted MIL understands finally and tells the new DIL that the preparation is way too simple and can be made quickly, the only time consumed is in cutting the potato slices evenly and thin.

The DIL takes the challenge of cutting the slices and since she is still not adept with her knife skills, she fumbles many times while cutting but finally sails through. The MIL makes the preparation in front of her in the next fifteen minutes and the new DIL is delighted to see that the preparation is way too simple and yet the result is so very tasty.

Scene3

The husband gives his wife  a list of the items she must cook before she leaves for her Mom's place, and topping in the list is Aloo Gadde Hurda Uperi. The wife smiles, cooks all his favorites and refrigerates them before leaving for her husband to savour them later on in the coming week.

By this time I'm sure you must have realised that this DIL was none other than 'ME' and it is S's favourite preparation which I did cook before I left on vacation . 

It is now my turn to share this family favorite recipe with all of you. I can say that I've mastered this easy preparation in all these years and I cut the slices pretty fast now :). 

Aloo Gadde Hurda Uperi

Serves:3
Preparation Time:15mins
Cooking Time:15mins

Ingredients
about 500gms potatoes,sliced
3tbsp Saaru/rasam pudi
1tsp chilli pwd
3/4tsp turmeric pwd
salt to taste
1tsp mustard seeds
5-6tbsp oil

Method

Wash the potatoes and remove the dirt. Let them dry and then slice as thin as possible. I always use potatoes without peeling as the skin is rich in minerals, but if you want you can peel and use.

Heat oil and mustard seeds, once the seeds splutter, tip in a few slices of potatoes along with turmeric and chilli powders, this prevents burning of spices.

Add all the potato slices, salt and rasam pudi. Mix thoroughly and cook on a medium flame without covering the pan.

Cook till done. Serve hot with rice and Jeerige Kattu.

Tips:

This recipe needs more oil for cooking.

For making a good stir fry, ensure that the potatoes are dry and have no excess water.

This preparation tastes best when made a little spicy as it is to be mixed with rice.

Sending this to my event 'Only' South Indian hosted here.

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