Aloo Achari in the tradition of gosht achari

I made aloo achari last night to eat with rotis. The plan was to make a paneer jalfrezie but the paneer had become moldy and stinky (I did smell it even after seeing the black gunk, hah). I have aloo achari at a near-by restaurant. Of course, they make use of a real mango pickle as a flavoring and I think they deep-fry the potatoes. But this is the actual way of making an achari curry. Lamb is the choice for this but we do not eat meat (there are some inconsistencies here but about that, later). I love the flavor the spices give and they really elevate what could be normal jeera aloo to something that is extraordinary.

Here is the recipe:

4 medium red-skin potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp onion or nigella seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
cilantro
2-3 Tbsp yogurt
1 tbsp oil

Heat oil in a pan. Add the seeds and let splutter. Add onion and saute on medium high heat. When onion become transparent, add ginger-garlic paste and saute everything until onions are caramelized. Add the potatoes along with turmeric, chili powder and salt. Sprinkle some water on top. Cover and cook until potatoes are soft. Uncover and let the bottoms of the potatoes brown a little. Check for salt and add more if required. Reduce heat to low. Add the yogurt and mix well and let sit on heat for a minute. Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro.

I wish I had remembered to take some photos. I will next time, I promise...