The Charm of the Midwest - Potato Palya

I never thought I'd be living in middle America. But, inevitably, it is now home. Poet and Flower were born here. Their childhood will be marked with Midwestern sensibilities and a place that will hopefully always be an anchor for them. After over a decade here, I have come to love so many aspects of life in the midwest. I grew up in the Northeast, then went to school in the South, and have loved each place in its own unique and interesting ways.

With its wide expanses and beautiful small towns, the Midwest is a lovely place to live. One of our favorite places is Columbus, Indiana. It is a mecca for its prominent mid-century architecture. When G and I first met, we visited Columbus, looking for a quiet weekend away. We stayed at the Inn at Irwin Gardens, an Italianate mansion in the heart of Columbus. It had recently been turned into a bed and breakfast, filled with period pieces and old-world charm. It is a short walk from the center through tree-lined streets and small shops. G and Poet and Flower love Zaharako's, a century-old ice cream shop with original marble counters and a soda fountain.

The first evening we found ourselves in a beautiful old bedroom with high ceilings overlooking the gardens. As we soon found out, old homes can be cold and sometimes drafty. It was soon late, and we fThe first evening we found ourselves in our beautiful old bedroom with high ceilings overlooking the gardens. It was soon late, and slowly it became colder and colder. We found ourselves huddled under the covers. There was a small space heater in the corner, and we realized that it was there for a reason. G thought that perhaps a second space heater would help, which seemed like a great idea. He wheeled one in from the hallway and plugged it in. There was a lovely burst of heat, a zap, and then total darkness. We had blown a fuse and now were not only cold but in the complete dark. Our little plan had gone awry.

The following day we laughed at what had happened. We enjoyed a lovely breakfast in the gardens. Thinking back on this, I made potato or aloo palya this week. Saute potatoes with plenty of onions, turmeric, and curry leaves. They are spicy and delicious. The potatoes go well with pooris and dosa for a savory Indian breakfast. You can find recipes for each here and here. I love enjoying dosa with dal and potato palya, though G will argue that potatoes are extraneous. You can also enjoy them in a potato palya sandwich, butter, grill some toast, and fill it with the palya. It makes for a delicious buttery lunch.

The kids are not yet old enough to enjoy a bed and breakfast. For now, they can run among the plazas and sculptures of Columbus. One day when we all get to stay there, I look forward to laughing about our chilly evening so many years ago.

Potato Palya

A delicious Indian potato dish. Onions, turmeric and curry leaves add a spicy herbal flavor. These potatoes are the perfect complement to dosa or pooris.

Makes 8 servings

• 4 medium potatoes
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 3 medium onions
• 3 green chilis (or 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes)
• 1 inch ginger (cut into 1/8 inch pieces)
• 3 stems curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1. Cut potatoes into half. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with 2 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. They should be soft and easily pierced with a knife.
2. Peel and then set aside to cool. Cut them into 1-2 inch pieces.
3. Heat oil in medium saute pan and add mustard seeds. Fry for about 30 seconds until they just begin to pop.
4. Add the curry leaves and give it a stir.
5. Add onions and ginger and saute until the onions are translucent about 5 minutes.
6. Add potatoes, turmeric and green chilis if you are using them. Mix well. Season with salt.
7. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes on low heat.
8. Serve warm with pooris or dosa.