Transform ordinary ingredients such as potatoes, cauliflower and apples with a few advanced culinary techniques that work to highlight their natural assets.
Whether served as a first course or for sharing, this dish utilizes a variety of spices and herbs that together culminate cohesively on a plate.
Topping your warm potato flatbread with two vibrant ferments in the form of cauliflower tikka masala and a green apple chutney showcases a multitude of flavors, textures and temperatures ranging from crispy and warm, to cold, tangy, spicy, pungent and sweet.
Here's what you need to know about making potato flatbread:
- Combining equal parts volume of cooked mashed potatoes with all-purpose flour creates an effortless and flavorful variation on a classic flatbread.
- Experiment with adding different spices to your ferments such as black mustard seeds, cumin seeds or turmeric powder to expand your culinary breadth.
- Combine tomato paste, turmeric powder, cane sugar, cumin seeds and sea salt to create a flavorful, yet not overpowering, masala paste to use to ferment the cauliflower.
- Adding vinegar to the chutney fermentation brine helps the apples maintain their crispness.
- Make sure your potatoes are completely cool before combining them with the flour to prevent extra moisture from being trapped in the dough in the form of steam.
Ingredients
For the Potato Flatbread with Cilantro & Toasted Fennel Seeds:
- 3 russet potatoes
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1/4 cup ghee (or coconut oil), plus more for pan
- 1 small bunch of cilantro, destemmed and chopped
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
For the Fermented Apple Chutney:
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 2 pieces turmeric root, peeled and cut into coins
- 3 green Thai chiles, diced
- 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into small dice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar
- 2 1/2 cups water
For the Fermented Cauliflower Tikka Masala:
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 piece ginger root, peeled and sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 2 Thai chiles, sliced
Tikka Masala Mixture:
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
Directions
For the Potato Flatbread with Cilantro & Toasted Fennel Seeds:
- Peel and dice potatoes. Add to pot, cover with water and bring to a boil.
- Cook potatoes for 15 minutes or until tender.
- Strain and transfer potatoes onto a cutting board to cool completely.
- Toast seeds in a pan and use the back of a rolling pin to crush.
- Melt ghee and stir in cilantro.
- Form flatbread dough by incorporating flour, fennel seeds, salt and half of ghee mixture into potatoes, using a bench scraper to help fold in ingredients.
- Divide the mixture into 8 spheres and use a rolling pin to roll out pieces to 1/4-inch thickness.
- Heat a cast-iron pan over medium heat and add a teaspoon of additional ghee.
- Cook each flatbread piece for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until cooked through and golden.
- Brush with reserved remainder of cilantro and ghee mixture.
For the Fermented Green Apple Chutney:
- Place shallots, turmeric, Thai chiles and apples in a medium bowl.
- Massage mixture with honey, black mustard seeds and sea salt.
- Transfer contents to a sterilized, half-gallon-sized jar and pour apple cider vinegar and water to cover.
- Weigh down, seal lid and attach the carboy.
- Ferment at room temperature for 7 days.
- Keep refrigerated for extended storage.
For the Fermented Cauliflower Tikka Masala:
- Place cut cauliflower, smashed garlic, ginger slices and sliced chilis in a large bowl.
- Massage with tomato paste, turmeric powder, cane sugar, cumin seeds and sea salt.
- Transfer to a sterilized, half-gallon-sized jar.
- Fill the remainder of the jar with water.
- Fasten lid and attach the carboy.
- Ferment at room temperature for 5 to 7 days.
- Seal and transfer to refrigerator for extended storage.
