On a rainy day a meal can feel incomplete without shredded potato fry. Rain pattering outside and crisp fried potato alongside is a combination Bengalis have long loved, and it goes well with hot tea. Many think it is hard to make shredded potato fry like a hotel or restaurant at home, but with the right technique it is easy to make it perfectly crisp.

Here is how to make it. You will need:

• 2-3 large potatoes, peeled
• a handful of peanuts
• 6-8 curry leaves
• black salt to taste
• half a teaspoon of ground black pepper
• white oil or ghee for frying

First grate the peeled potatoes lengthways on the finest holes of a grater. Rinse the grated potato three or four times in clean water, until the white starch released from it has completely gone.

After rinsing, leave the potato in a colander or sieve for 10-15 minutes to drain. Then spread it on a clean cotton cloth or tissue and dry off all the excess water. Heat plenty of oil in a karahi. When the oil is well heated and just starting to smoke, add the potato a little at a time. Fry slowly on a medium flame so the potato turns evenly golden-red and crisp.

In the same oil, fry some peanuts and curry leaves and set them aside. Mix the fried potato with the peanuts, curry leaves, black salt and a little ground pepper, and serve hot.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.