Aloo Anday (Potatoes and Scrambled Eggs)

This is just one version of a popular Pakistani spicy scrambled egg and potato breakfast dish. Endlessly adaptable, it also makes for an inexpensive yet substantial weeknight meal. Sweetness from onions, tanginess from tomatoes, heat from chiles and nutty freshness from coriander seeds provide a fine foundation for humble eggs and potatoes. Often served with chapati, the dish is just as good with store-bought pita, naan or even with rice.

Ingredients

• INGREDIENTS 

• 3

  medium red potatoes (1 1/4 pounds)

• 3

  tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil

• 1

  teaspoon garlic paste or finely grated garlic

• ½

  teaspoon ginger paste or finely grated ginger, plus silvers for garnish

• 1

  medium Spanish or other sweet onion, finely chopped 

• 1

  teaspoon coriander seeds

• 1

  teaspoon cumin seeds

• 2

  teaspoons Kashmiri red chile powder or other ground red chile

• 3

  green Thai chiles, stemmed and finely chopped 

• 3

  medium plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

• 2

  teaspoons fine sea salt 

• 7

  large eggs

• 2

  tablespoons chopped cilantro, for garnish 

• 1

  teaspoon garam masala, for garnish 

• Chapati, pita, naan or rice, for serving

Preparation

1. Peel and quarter the potatoes, then cut into ¼-inch slices. Submerge the potatoes in a bowl of water and set aside. 
2. Heat the ghee in a heavy nonstick medium pot over medium-high. Add the garlic paste and ginger paste. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the smell of raw garlic and ginger dissipates, less than 1 minute. Add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to turn golden, 5 to 7 minutes. 
3. Lower the heat to medium and add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, chile powder and green chiles. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the ghee is thoroughly infused with the spices, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the salt. Continue cooking on medium until most of the tomato liquid has evaporated and the ghee has separated, about 7 minutes. 
4. Drain the potatoes and add them to the pot. Add ½ cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir as needed to prevent the mixture from browning. Uncover and cook on medium-high until the potatoes are tender all the way through and most of the water has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. 
5. Beat the eggs just until the egg whites are incorporated into the yolks. Stir them into the pot. Continue stirring until the eggs are scrambled and form delicate curds, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Garnish with slivered ginger, chopped cilantro and garam masala. Serve with chapati, pita, naan or rice.