Aloo Tuk

Before you start

• Peel and halve the potatoes and keep them in cold water until you fry, then drain and dry them completely on a cloth — wet potatoes spit violently in hot oil.
• Tuk is fried twice with a cooling gap in between. Budget 10 minutes of rest between the two fries; skipping it gives you soft, oily potatoes.
• Mix the amchur, chaat masala, chilli powder, black salt, pepper and salt in a small bowl before you start frying.

Method

1. Heat the oil to medium — a potato piece dropped in should bubble steadily around the edges, not fizz furiously.
2. Fry the potatoes in two batches for 8-10 minutes each, until pale gold and a skewer slides in easily. They should be cooked through but not coloured much.Too hot here and the outside seals before the inside softens, which is the classic tuk failure.
3. Lift them out onto a rack and let them cool for 10 minutes.
4. Flatten each piece with the heel of your hand or the flat of a knife to about 1.5cm, so the edges crack open.Press firmly but stop before it falls apart — those cracked edges are where the crispness comes from.
5. Raise the oil to high, until a scrap of potato surfaces immediately.
6. Fry the flattened pieces again in batches, 3-4 minutes, until deep golden and audibly crisp when knocked against the ladle.
7. Drain on a rack rather than paper so the undersides do not steam soft.
8. While still very hot, toss with the spice mix and taste for salt.Season them hot. Once they cool, the powder sits on top instead of sticking.
9. Serve at once, alongside sindhi kadhi and rice as tradition has it, or on their own with tea.

Storage

Best within the hour. Fried, unflattened potatoes hold 4 hours at room temperature and can be smashed and given their second fry just before eating; leftovers go soft and reheat poorly.