The more I examine the workings of my own mind, the more confused I become. I keep hoping that practicing mindfulness will help me find more peace and certainty, but instead I’m faced with the ironic realization that the more I try to understand, the less I know. So instead of trying to comprehend it all, I’m trying to simply live in the present moment instead of thinking about what might happen in the future. It’s all those “what if’s” that seem to get me into trouble. I don’t know about you, but my mind can get pretty carried away imagining things that may or may not happen. It seems like it’s the “what if’s” that spring from my most fundamental fears that cause the most anxiety and pain. So, this week, I’ve been making a really concerted effort to stay focused on the present moment, and when that fails I try to think about my hopes for the future. Anders and I are in the process of making some big plans. A dream that we’ve shared since we met eight years ago is finally coming to fruition and I’m both excited, inspired and, as always, a little scared. I promise to share all the details with you when it’s a done deal. For now, I’ll just say that the changes ahead are reinvigorating my aspirations to live a truly sustainable life. I recently heard about the zero waste home and found myself giddy with excitement at the idea of taking sustainability more seriously. A few things I’m excited to incorporate into my life: using cloth bags for purchasing bulk items and produce, giving and receiving experiences instead of material gifts, and switching to bulk cleaning supplies and homemade hygiene products. If you have any favorite tips or tricks that help you live more sustainably I’d love to hear about them. In the meantime, I hope you have a great rest of your week and that you enjoy these crispy roasted potatoes topped with a sweet and tangy tamarind sauce and toasted Indian spices. Enjoy!
MASALA POTATOES WITH TAMARIND SAUCE
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE POTATOES
1 1/2 lbs. baby potatoes, cut in half
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
FOR THE SAUCE
1 cup medjool dates, pitted
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 cup tamarind paste
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
TO SERVE
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon corainder seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/4 cup coconut flakes
chopped cilantro
thinly sliced red onion
PROCEDURE
FOR THE POTATOES
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Toss the potatoes with the coconut oil and salt and spread on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until crispy, golden brown and cooked through.
Remove from the oven and set aside.
FOR THE SAUCE
Meanwhile bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the pitted dates and simmer for 5-10 minutes until soft. Remove the dates from the water and transfer to a blender with the ginger, tamarind paste, water and salt. Puree until smooth.
TO SERVE
In a small skillet heat the coconut oil over medium high heat. Add the mustard seeds, coriander, cumin and sesame seeds and fry until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Turn the heat to low and add in the coconut. Continue toasting the spices and coconut, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant and the coconut is golden brown. Remove from the heat.
To serve, place the roasted potatoes in a bowl, top with a generous drizzle of tamarind sauce, the toasted spices and coconut, the chopped cilantro and the red onion.
This looks fantastic! Definitely gonna try it -and your photos are beautiful! Also, I totally agree with the idea of a sustainable lifestyle, thanks for sharing!
This is gorgeous, Sasha! The flavors were are so warm and inviting. The perfect way to dress up the humble potato! I second your thoughts on mindfulness and living the in moment, all those ‘whatifs’ will just eat you up if not! Wishing you the very best for your newest adventure, looking forward to hearing more about it sometime soon x
Thank you so much!
sasha, so delicious are these potatoes – all flavors i truly love. – – your thoughts on living in the present moment are so completely relevant and connected. always i am questioning and surmising, but often i’m left with the same feeling. and so i find too, that living in the moment is one of the best ways to celebrate the mind and our capabilities. some of the best things happen when i’m not so focused on making them happen. – – whatever is to come for you, i wish you so well! hearing about your sustainability efforts is very inspiring for me and my own. thank you for a beautiful post.
So true…but as always, easier said than done…I’ve been struggling with some anxiety this trip and am finding that the harder I try to relax the more anxious I become so just letting go seems to be the lesson. Thanks so much for this sweet comment and for following along.
That looks delicious! I love the picture.
Loving that sauce! These potatoes sound perfect!
Thank you for this post Sasha, it is so rich on many levels. I love the hope and excitement you share and I’m at the edge of my seat awaiting details. Regarding sustainability? The first one that popped into my mind is our clothesline. Using it feeds me and the earth at the same time. I love the look of the clothes in the wind, the feel after they’ve dried, the fragrance, being outdoors, the movements involved in working the pulley, carrying the laundry basket and the ritual from start to finish. Living in the northeast, I use it just half the year, but have been known to hang clothes out there in the winter on a sunny day and end up with crispy garments.
Love this! One of my New Year’s resolutions was to stop using the dryer but it’s hard without a decent clothesline. Someday…
Awesome flavours and very well done recipe!