Tips for Using Leftover Potatoes

Creativity is the key to use the leftover potatoes. The more creative you are the more magic you can spin with the gluey mess that yesterday was a delicious potato dish.

Here are some of my favorite leftover potato dishes. The best thing to do with a dry leftover potato vegetable is to make spicy Parathas (Indian flat bread) out of them.

1. SPICY AALOO STUFFED PARATHAS

Ingredients for filling:

One cup-Leftover dry potato vegetable

One onion finely chopped

Two green chilies finely chopped (optional)

1/4 tsp-red chili powder

1/4 tsp-Garam Masala (mixed spices)

1/2 cup-Fresh chopped coriander leaves

Salt to taste

For the flat bread

Two cups whole-wheat flour

Water

Method:

Mash the leftover potato vegetable and add all the spices and coriander leaves to it.

Make dough with the whole-wheat flour and keep it covered with wet muslin cloth.

Make a ping-pong sized ball of dough. Flatten and roll to a 4″ wide circle. Place a tbsp of filling in center and bring the edges to center. Press ends together like a pouch, press down firmly with palm to make a Pattie. Dust with dry flour and roll to 6″ wide circle.

Heat the skillet on low heat and roast the paratha on both sides until golden brown. Use oil to shallow fry paratha until crisp. Brush the sides with clarified butter or olive oil if desired.

Serve hot with fresh curd, pickle or chutney and a dollop of butter.

For the adventurous kind, here is something I churned out in a jiffy.

Leftover Mashed potatoes are the losers all the way. Gluey when reheated and even worse cold from the fridge, the trashcan is where their inevitable fate leads them usually but last Sunday I discovered a new way to use them.

2. POTATOLICIOUS

Ingredients:

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes at room temperature

One medium onion

3/4 c grated cheddar cheese

1/4 c grated mozzarella cheese

Method:

Roughly chop the onion and sauté it in butter until caramelized into dark brown wonder.

Fold the onions into the mashed potatoes and stir in the cheeses. (The mashed potatoes should not be very warm when you begin or they will melt the cheese.)

Pour into two individual baking dishes and bake at 400-400 for 15 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top.

They taste heavenly and you would want to leave some mashed potato to make this leftover delight daily.

Another way to use leftover potato is to turn it into a delicious omelet.

3. LEFTOVER POTATO OMELET

Ingredients:

Leftover boiled or roasted potatoes

Bacon

Fresh green

Peas

Two eggs

Any grated cheese (optional)

Fresh chopped coriander leaves and finely chopped green chilies

Method:

Cube the leftover boiled or roasted potato. Cut up bacon into little squares and fry the bacon. Add the potato and brown them then add the peas.

Beat two eggs and pour over the vegetables. When the egg has set, turn the omelet over to brown the other side. Add grated cheese and fold.

Have it with fresh toasted bread and a glass of orange juice for a complete healthy breakfast.

Use the leftover mashed potatoes to make crispy fried balls by added boiled green peas and spices of your choice in it and making it into small balls coated with breadcrumbs. Deep fry on low heat until golden brown and serve with green mint chutney.

Another variation, which is a hot favorite with kids, can be made by using bread with the same mixture.

Cut the sides of any sandwich bread and wet it a little. Make a ball of mashed potato wrapped in a wet slice of bread and even it properly so that there are no cracks. Roll in breadcrumbs and deep fry until golden brown. Serve with green mint chutney.

So do not rush to the trash can with the leftover potatoes but turn them into savory, sumptuous dishes and impress your friends and family.

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