I'm basking in tattieland (Tatties - scottish for the humble potato ) .I 'm yet to meet a person who does not like potatoes - (with the exception of 'Jains' from India whose religion prohibits them from consuming vegetables grown underground).'Aalu' as its called in the Hindi language is a darling 'vegetable' though many nutritionists are sceptical about its classification -apparently this tuber is neither a technically a vegetable nor a foodgrain - just a source of carbohydrates .But what a source of delicious versatile fun dishes and snacks that we can't get enough of.
I've always been a potatoholic,like many others .'Vadapav' (a wee potato burger-especially the Vile Parle 's famous Babu's shop) remains the popular,addictive snack for anytime in the day,wafers,'Batata bhaji (stir fried chopped potatoes in a basic sauce ),Biryani potatoes and countless other potato based dishes leave us licking our fingers in delight.Even MacDonalds introduced spicy potato wedges and a round flat potato burger on their menu when they launched in India.
It was only a couple of years ago when my father -in-law cultivated homegrown organic potatoes in his back garden and served them simply boiled at dinner with roast chicken,did I realise how real,tasty and naturally comforting pure potatoes can be - minus the seasoning,minus the spices,batter or oil .
I 'm still fascinated by the sight of a variety and different qualities of potatoes at the supermarket and I'm as chuffed as a child in a candy shop when I see muddy potatoes at the farmer's market.'Edzel blue' is a dark purple coloured one - good for roasting or frying, 'King Edward' is the housewife's favourite variety because of its clean creamy texture,'Kerrs pink' is ideal for boiling and adds a natural colour to dishes .
Traditional British recipes are termed as comfort food due to the simple hearty combination of meat and potatoes often cooked or baked together like salmon fishcakes,cottage pie,cornish pasties,Irish stew ,Fish pie etc. Besides, hash browns,baked potato,thick chips ,mashed potatoes,roast potatoes, potato waffles etc are other 'hardcore' versions eaten on the side of meat and vegetables often as a source of carbohydrates.
Despite the latest 'foodie' revolution in Britain , there's nothing like the humble potato to satify people's palates.Having written a little tribute to this universal favourite tattie,I'm off to enjoy my baked potato with a cup of tea to keep warm in this cold weather
