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Skillet Bengali Salt and Pepper Potatoes
A staple of Bengali home cooking, aloo morich pairs crispy fried potato cubes with soft, creamy scrambled eggs. The secret to its punchy flavor lies in using whole black peppercorns crushed fresh in a mortar and pestle. You'll fry the potatoes until golden brown, creating a texture that contrasts perfectly with the chili-flecked eggs. It's a comforting, flavor-packed dish that relies entirely on simple pantry staples.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 500g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons oil, butter or ghee
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 20g butter
- 4 medium free-range eggs
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- 2 heaped teaspoons crème fraîche
Instructions
- 1Boil the cubed potatoes in a large pot of water for 6 minutes until just tender to the bite. Drain them thoroughly and let them sit for 5 minutes to steam dry. This resting period removes surface moisture so they crisp up properly in the pan.
- 2Crush the whole black peppercorns finely using a mortar and pestle. Warm the oil, butter, or ghee in a large non-stick skillet. Once hot, stir in the steamed potatoes, half of the crushed peppercorns, and half of the salt. Toss everything to coat the potatoes evenly in the fat. Fry over medium heat for roughly 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the cubes turn pale golden brown and crisp.
- 3When the potatoes have about 5 minutes of cooking time remaining, melt the butter for the eggs in a separate medium skillet. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the salt, pepper, and chili flakes, then beat briefly with a fork just enough to break the yolks.
- 4Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook over very low heat for 5 minutes. Use a flat wooden spoon to gently scrape the curds from the bottom as they set. Remove the pan from the heat just as the eggs finish setting, as carryover heat will continue cooking them. Fold in the creme fraiche, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
- 5Toss the crispy potatoes with the remaining salt and crushed black pepper. Plate the potatoes alongside the soft scrambled eggs.
Notes
- Make ahead: You can boil the potatoes a day in advance and store them in the fridge until you're ready to fry.
- Swap: If you don't have creme fraiche, a spoonful of sour cream or heavy cream works beautifully to enrich the eggs.
- Tip: Toast the whole peppercorns in a dry pan for a minute before crushing them to release even deeper flavor.
Recipe Details
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