Amazing Chips Chili

What is it with you sisters’ chili fascination, you might ask. Well, this is the original chili recipe, from which we generated the rest of them. Jhyaunkiri makes it like no one else can, much better than the inconsistent restaurant types. I make a decent dish out of it, and the very thought of the end product makes my mouth water. It’s Mayuri’s favourite, and Bishu is famously known for saying we both make the ‘best modern dishes’ after he tasted it. So here goes the easiest recipe for Chips Chili (or Alu Chili as Pratigya calls it):

What you need:

Potatoes: Large ones preferred, around four/five for one person should do
Chili: And lots of it
Onion: Large ones, two
Tomato: Four
Capsicum: If you want, which I never do. But it lends that wonderful ‘Chili’ flavor
Tomato Sauce/ Ketchup: This is a must. Maggi, Druk, Heinz or whichever fancy brand you favour, except it must be hot, sweet and sour. And Soya Sauce if you like.
Oil: To fry
Salt: To taste

What to do:

For the fries:

Slice the potatoes lengthwise. Just like you see the Fries.
Some of us amateur chefs dunk the potato slices into ice-cold water to keep them crunchy or semi-boil them to make them easier to fry. But after many practices, I have discovered that it makes very little difference even if you begin cooking straightaway.

I always imagine they are happy to be cooked.

Head a karai or flat bottomed pan and pour in liberal amount of oil.
Dunk in the diced potatoes, and fry till golden brown. (You might want to do that in batches, depending on the amount of potatoes).

Frying away to glory

Add salt to taste while the potatoes are frying away. It should take around 10 minutes.
Once they turn golden, ladle them out and lay out on paper, or any substance that soaks oil.
Caution: Try not to eat all the fries before you put them into the chili sauce.

Thank God Im not overtly fond of the addictive fries.

For the chili:
As with all chili mixtures, first pour in oil into a karai.
You can use the oil left over after the fries.
Then fry the chilies, let them splutter to their fill.
Put in the onions and fry till golden brown.
Add the tomatoes and squash them.
Add sauce liberally, pouring in some water if it becomes too thick.

Bubble bubble, toil and trouble!

Let it simmer and thicken, and finally put in the fries.
Mix it well, let it cook for around 3 minutes, and enjoy!

I always make sure I have enough for lunch, and office, and dinner!