Piro Aloo: Spicy Potatoes

The kind folks from Wisdom Publications sent me an advanced reader's copy of a new veggie cookbook coming out called "Veggiyana: The Dharma of Cooking"* by Sandra Garson. It just came in the mail this morning and I was so eager to cook from it that I picked out one of the simple recipes for lunch. I've only glanced through the book and already I know I'm going to love cooking from it. The recipes are wholesome, nutritious and simple and express the author's premise that fueling the body with the right foods are the keys to a healthy mind and body. There are 108 recipes (the number of beads on a buddhist mala) from around the world including salads, stews, dhals, noodles, rice and vegetable dishes.


This is a Nepali potato dish called piro aloo which is beautifully spiced with arbol chili powder, cumin, garlic, turmeric and green chiles. I overcooked my potatoes a little so they didn't get as crisp as they should have. But no matter, this was so delicious and reminded me of a spicy exotic version of home fries! As you know I love cooking Nepali food so I will be adding this dish to my Nepali repertoire.

*Note: This is a vegetarian book as some recipes require eggs and dairy. There are a lot of vegan recipes though!