Aloo Pitika

Several times a month I fly to New York City to tape Food Network’s Chopped. I usually return to Nashville on a late flight, and by the time I get home, I find myself with massive hunger pangs for comfort food, but little energy to cook something complicated. This is my go-to dish for just that occasion. It takes no time at all and I usually double the batch because my kids and husband love it for breakfast, served with a side of Indian pickles and a bowl of whipped yogurt. I had this dish for the first time at the train station in Guwahati, where it was being served for breakfast. I was on a night train and awoke in my sleeper bunk with a chill. The sun had not yet risen and the windows in our third-class compartment were wide open. My teeth were chattering when I stepped off the train, and I followed the comforting aroma of potatoes, which led me to this soothing, fortifying dish. That taste memory must be why I crave mashed potatoes with chiles and onions late in the night when I need to be warmed from the inside out.