Curried Smashed Potatoes with Lemon Yogurt
We recently were finally able to get our summer herb garden together, and it’s truly divine. I can’t tell you how nice it is to enjoy fresh herbs from the garden after a long and brutal winter, when fresh herbs in our area are difficult to come by. They are costly, too! Harvesting our own herbs with every meal really makes cooking so much more enjoyable and I find that it also fuels my creativity in the kitchen. Our goal is to have a sizable garden one day with all the essentials, and then some! But for now, I’m totally content and happy that we have basics like sage, basil, mint, cilantro, parsley, kale, and tomato, among others right at our fingertips. And those little flowers. They add such a nice touch to all kinds of dishes, elevating it just so with hardly any effort at all, which I’m all for.
I simply love potatoes. They are in my mind, their own food group. And they got a lot of attention around here! But these. These just might be one of my favorite ways to prepare them. I love the blend of textures - the softness, the crispy. They are just plain good. Plus I’ve been on a bit of a curry kick lately and want to add it to just about everything. So these just felt right. I hope you try them. And, if you have a favorite way you prepare them, I’d love to know! Maybe a potato club of sorts is on the horizon. No, really. Because I mean, potatoes.
If you love potatoes like I do, you likely want to eat them any and all ways. But smashed potatoes in particular, have become a household favorite because they are simply delicious and they offer a soft inside with a crispy and flavorful skin. These are delicious plain or dressed up with all different kinds of seasonings, spices, and sauces.
Curried Smashed Potatoes with Lemon Yogurt
serves 2 | dairy-free optional
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: ~20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
~1 lb. baby red or rainbow potatoes (about 8-10 baby potatoes)
~2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp curry seasoning (see notes)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain (dairy-free optional)
juice of 1/2 lemon
small bunch of fresh herbs, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 400 F.
Rinse potatoes to remove any dirt. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and fill with water (about an inch above potatoes). Bring potatoes to a boil, then simmer for about 12 minutes, or until just tender. Drain.
Pat dry the potatoes with a cloth or paper towel. Place on baking sheet and smash down using the back of a spoon. Lightly drizzle potatoes with oil. Sprinkle curry seasoning, salt, and pepper over potatoes. Roast for 20 minutes, flipping half-way through.
While the potatoes are roasting, prepare your yogurt and herbs. Squeeze juice from half a lemon, and stir well into yogurt. Set in the refrigerator until use. Finely chop herbs of your choice (I used chive, cilantro, and mint).
Once the potatoes are crispy and golden, remove from oven and let cool slightly for a couple minutes. Sprinkle with additional curry seasoning if you like and serve over a smear of yogurt. You can also use the yogurt as a dipping sauce if you prefer.
Notes:
If you don’t have a ready-made curry seasoning, it’s simple to make your own. Curry spice is simply a blend of different spices commonly used in Indian dishes, such as turmeric, ginger, coriander, cumin, cardamom, clove, fenugreek, etc. Feel free to get creative here and use what you have on hand. Add some heat if you wish, too.