Chili Potato (Gravy)

Growing up in Kolkata, India, Indo chinese food (Indian- Chinese food) is very close to my heart. Gravy chili potatoes is one of my favourite Indo chinese dishes to make and order at a restaurant. The gravy is spicy and full of flavor with crunchy onions and peppers and potatoes. It’s spicy with some tang and a hint of sweetness to balance it all. The gravy gets a beautiful color from the soy sauce. This recipe is inspired by all the restaurants I grew up having this dish in, especially Bar B q (a very famous restaurant in Kolkata). It not over powering in any flavor and pairs so well with rice and noodles. For me a perfect Indo chinese meal would include these gravy chili potatoes, dry chili paneer and spicy noodles like Schezwan noodles. I hope you love these potatoes as much as I do. Also this dish is Vegan!

Happy Cooking!

Servings: 8-9 servings

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cooking Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients: 

Potatoes:

• 400-450g half Boiled golden Potato, cut in cubes

• 2 tbsp Corn starch

• 2 tbsp all purpose flour 

• 1 tsp Salt as per taste

• 1/4 tsp white Pepper

• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red chili Powder

• 1/4 tsp Garam masala

• 4-5 tbsp water 

• Oil to deep fry, if you are deep frying.

Gravy:

• 1 tbsp Green chili sauce

• 3 tbsp dark Soy sauce 

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce

• 1 tsp Vinegar 

• 1 tbsp sriracha 

• 2 tsp Ketchup 

• 1/2 tbsp Corn starch 

• 1-1.5 cup water

• 1/2 -1 tsp Ajino moto; optional but recommended

Veggies:

• 1 large red Onion cubed

• 2-3 green Chili slit and cut in half

• 2 Spring onions chopped; whites and greens separated

• 1/2 green bell Pepper cubed

• 1 tbsp Ginger paste/minced

• 1 tbsp Garlic pasted/minced

• Salt as per taste

• 1/4 tsp white pepper

• 1/2 tsp red chili powder

• 1/4-1/2 tsp sugar as per taste

Directions: 

1. Preheat an airfryer to 400F or put oil on to deep fry the potatoes.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the corn starch, all purpose flour, red chili powder, garam masala, salt, pepper and mix.

3. Add water and combine into a paste.

4. Add the boiled potatoes and toss it together. The potatoes should be well coated in the mixture.

5. Cook the potatoes-

   • Deep fry on high heat and toss in the bowl again and deep fry again till super crispy. Let it soak out on a paper towel and keep aside.

   • Air fry- Spray oil over the potatoes and air fry at 400F for 12 min. Give it a toss in the bowl again and air fry again for 10 mins till super crispy. Keep aside.

6. In a bowl, mix together the ingredients for the gravy- green chili sauce, soy sauces, sriracha, ketchup, and ajino moto, using a whisk. Keep aside.

7. Add corn starch and water keep aside.

8. In a heavy bottom pan/wok, on medium-high heat, add vegetable oil and let it heat up.

9. Add onions, green chilis and peppers and cook for 2-3 mins.

10. Add the whites of the green onions, ginger and garlic and cook for 2-3 mins.

11. Add the gravy and mix for 1 minute.

12. Add the corn starch slurry and mix. Let it come to a low simmer.

13. Add the crispy potatoes and give it a toss.

14. Add the salt, pepper, sugar and chili powder and mix well.

15. Add the greens of the scallions and toss. Add at this point add 2-4 tbsp more water if you want it more liquid.

16. Take it off the heat and garnish with some greens of the scallions.

17. Serve immediately with noodles or rice! Click here for the Schezwan noodle recipe.

Notes/Tips:

• Double frying or air frying the potatoes helps making it super crispy which helps maintain some crispness which cooked into the gravy.

• The longer you want to serve the potatoes will lose its crispiness.

• Ajino moto is a flavor enhancer and I know some people don’t like using it but it adds a lot.

• Cooking the onions and veggies on high heat helps it to cook and stay crispy.

• I like to use Chings sauces for the gravy.

• Using freshly grated garlic and ginger is preferable.