Nepali Aloo Salad

My friend MP learnt this recipe from a Nepali friend of her's. She's adapted it to suit her taste, and says it is a staple whenever she has people over. 

Boil and peel baby potatoes. When they cool, cut them into half or into 4 pieces depending on the size of the potatoes.

Roast and roughly pound sesame seeds
Roast and roughly pound peanuts

Heat oil, put methi seeds and a wee bit of heeng. When they splutter, add garlic and fry. My friend who taught me this used to add raw garlic but I like the taste of fried garlic.

In the bowl, pour this oil with the tadka over the potatoes. Add lemon juice, roughly crushed peanuts and sesame seeds. Add chopped green chillies, salt and coriander leaves. Toss well.

This is a cold salad but I feel adding roasted peanuts and sesame seeds in advance reduces the crunchiness of both so I put the potatoes in the fridge covered in a cling wrap for some time. And then half an hr before I serve, I take the potatoes out and do the tadka and the mixing.

Note - the original dish I was taught used mustard oil but when I am making it for non Bengali friends who I think cannot handle the taste and pungency of mustard oil, I make this with loads of olive oil and it tastes quite nice too! I also skip the heeng (along with the mustard oil) if I am making it for non Indian friends who I think might find heeng (asafoetida ) overwhelming.