Spicy and Minty Potato Salad

This recipe is my attempt to recreate a most delicious dish I had a charming little hole-in-the-wall vegan bistro in Bath. My travel companion and I were told that it was batata harra, which didn’t jive with either of us because it wasn’t anything like the batata harra either of us had had (mostly not crispy), but its deliciousness did.

This salad is great hot, room temp or cold and its spicy and zesty flavours are a great accompaniment to anything grilled. I like to keep the spice heat down low in the salad itself, but sprinkle it with a healthy dose of chili flakes and a dollop of yoghurt or sour cream when serving.

What you need:

• 3 lbs potatoes
• 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2.5 tsp salt
• Juice of one lime
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1.5 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 1 tsp sumac
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 large vidalia onion, finely diced
• 1 packed cup of mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1 packed up of parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
• Salt to taste.
• Lime wedges, chili flakes and yogurt or sour cream for garnish (optional)

What you do:

1. Cook your potatoes with the 2.5 teaspoons of salt and one tablespoon of the cider vinegar. Once again, I used this method.
2. Drain the potatoes, sprinkle with lime juice and let cool.
3. Toast the spices in a small saucepan over medium heat until fragrant.
4. To the pot, add two tablespoons of the olive oil and the onion.
5. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and translucent. Remove from heat and pour over potatoes.
6. Once the potatoes are at room temperature, mix them with the remaining ingredients (except the optionals) in a large bowl until everything is well-coated and combined.
7. Taste test and season with salt accordingly.
8. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature.