The Khatte Meethe Memoni Aloo is a sweet and tangy snack dish where boiled potato is a significant ingredient. There are multiple reasons why I like it, and I am sure you will too. A few of them I have quoted below. Take a look.
Now you know why I love these khatte meethe memoni aloo. But, wait! There’s something more to it. I have Dhoraji’s famous bhungara bateta too. Both memoni aloo and bhungara bateta might sound similar, but they are not. Let’s see how.
Gaffar Na bateta is a spicy flavour. But, on the contrary, khatte meethe memoni aloo is tangy.
The unique style of eating Gaffar Na bateta makes it more special. We use fried pipe fryms. Yeah, the yellow coloured hollow pipe fryms.
Undoubtedly, both the recipes contain potato as a significant ingredient. However, although this may be true, both are different in taste.
The question is why memoni aloo is likewise and what is the history behind it. Let’s check out together.
The word meaning of khatte meethe (खट्टे मीठे) is sweet and sour. These words are derived from the Hindi language to define taste. Due to the jaggery and tamarind paste, we have the phrase khatte and meethe in the title.
The exciting part is memoni aloo. The word memoni is for the people of the Memon community from the Kathiawar region (now modern Gujarat State). It is an ethnic group that originated in North-Western India. Their love for potatoes is substantial, so this recipe has the name memoni aloo or memoni batata.
Now that you know what it is and why to, let’s begin making it. So, here’s traditional memoni style khatte meethe memoni aloo.
This sauce is otherwise called tamarind and jaggery sauce. In Hindi, we refer it to as the गुड़ इमली की चटनी. It is thick, sticky and has an excellent pouring consistency. Not only this, but you can even make this sauce prior and store it for later use.
The making process is so easy that even a novice can effortlessly cook the same without experience. Jaggery is the hero ingredient because it gives the required thickness and sweetness. I won’t recommend using sugar instead of jaggery. We all know that sugar is a processed sweetener. On the contrary, jaggery is a natural sweetener without additives.
Cooking oil is what we need to make the sauce. Butter or ghee is neither recommended nor can they act as a substitute.
Baby potatoes (બટાકી) are highly recommended for this recipe due to their compact size. However, if they are unavailable, then select medium size potatoes. Cut these medium-sized potatoes into half so that you can easily mix them. Boil potatoes thoroughly.
Okay, now it’s time for some spicy tips. Here you go.
The following tips are small, but they yield better results. Read them first before you begin making the recipe.
There’s no problem at all if baby potatoes are unavailable. You can still make this dish using large potatoes. Cut large boiled potatoes into four equal parts to reduce the size. To boil them thoroughly, make a deep vertical cut. By doing this, your potatoes will boil adequately from the inside.
I use homemade tamarind paste because it is preservative-free. You, too, can do the same. Soak tamarind in hot water for a couple of hours, then remove the seeds. After that, strain the pulp. Viola! You just made tamarind paste at home.
The quality of jaggery is what I look forward to when I make khatti meethi chutney at home. There are different types of jaggery available in the market. We need the red one, therefore, avoid the white jaggery. In Gujarati, we say કણી વાળો ગોળ or માટલા નો ગોળ.
We need to simmer the tamarind, jaggery and spice mixture. Remember, do not cook or boil it on high flame. It will burn and lose the pouring consistency. Simmering for a couple of minutes is enough. Keep this in mind while making.
How to make tamarind paste is already mentioned. This one is the khajur tamarind paste. The process is almost similar with just one small change. Khajur, aka dates, are either fresh or dry. If they are dry, boil them to make them soft and if new, use them directly. Whether dry or fresh, deseed them before using. Use this chutney. You will love it.
Although the memoni aloo recipe is quick and easy, certain things need to be addressed. Here they are.
You can, but I suggest not to because traditional memoni aloo is made using jaggery and not sugar. Another reason is that jaggery is healthy compared to processed sugar. Hence, do not swap them.
No, it is not compulsory to use roasted cumins in the cumin powder. However, if you roast them, there will be an excellent nutty and woody aroma. The same flavour and fragrance will go into the powder when finely grounded; hence, if time permits, roast cumin.
The one that I have used is the Kashmiri red chilli powder. It is mild in taste and acts as a natural colouring agent. This particular dry red chilli powder will give the much required dark tone to the sauce.
Yes, it is ok to use readymade tamarind paste. You can make them in advance and store them in a glass container for future use if time permits. Make sure you keep it in a cool and dark place to maintain the taste and texture.
The primary reason it is like this is that you have overcooked the sauce. After adding jaggery, you need to simmer the mixture until jaggery melts. Your paste/sauce/chutney will become black if you continue cooking it.
Jaggery rapidly changes colour when cooked on high flame for a long time. Therefore, only simmer and do not overcook.
Yes, you can skip ginger-garlic paste. However, your jaggery and tamarind paste will have a mild spicy taste when you do this. To balance the flavours add 1/2 tsp regular red chilli powder. Just like we do in aam ka murabba.