Colcannon with Chaat Masala
Colcannon is one of my favorite ways to eat mashed potatoes. It’s soft and creamy, a reason why mashed potatoes are one of the most comforting and alluring food textures I can think of. Typically chopped cabbage or kale is blanched in boiling water and then incorporated into the mashed potatoes, but I prefer to sauté them. I tweaked this Irish classic, used melted ghee instead of butter, and sprinkled a generous amount of chaat masala. Colcannon goes with almost every meal, and I love it with sausages, ham, fish, and beans. If you’re inclined, throw in a few tablespoons of chopped, crisped pieces of bacon or pancetta.
- Yield: 4 to 6
Ingredients
2 lb/910 g russet or starchy potatoes
10 Tbsp/150 ml melted ghee or unsalted butter
10 oz/285 g kale, midrib removed and discarded, leaves chopped fine
1 cup/240 ml whole milk
1 1/2 Tbsp chaat masala, homemade or store-bought
3 scallions, both white and green parts, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Rinse and scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt under running water. Place the potatoes in a large pot filled with enough water to cover them by 1 in/2.5 cm. Add 1 tsp fine sea salt. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook until the potatoes are tender and easily pricked with a knife or fork. The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the potatoes, 45 mins to an hour. Drain the potatoes and place them on a plate to cool. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
- While the potatoes cook, prepare the kale. Heat 2 Tbsp of ghee over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the kale and a pinch of salt, and sauté until the leaves turn bright dark green and wilt for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Add half of the milk to the potatoes and mash with a masher or fork (for a fine texture, use a ricer).
- Add 1 Tbsp of the chaat masala and the remaining milk and mash until combined. Fold in 7 Tbsp of the melted ghee.
- Fold in the kale and 3/4 of the scallions. Taste and season with salt.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with the remaining scallions and chaat masala. Drizzle the remaining 1 Tbsp of melted ghee. Serve hot or warm. Leftovers will stay good for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Shredded cabbage, chard, and minced leeks can be used in place of kale.
- For a smooth texture, use a ricer to prepare the potatoes. Another option is to pass the boiled potatoes through a fine mesh sieve and then mash them.
2 Responses
is chaat masala the same as garam masala – could be substituted??
They are not the same thing and cannot be used interchangeably. The recipes for the garam masala and chaat masala can be found here but you can also use store-bought. https://niksharmacooks.com/the-flavor-corner/