Step 1

Bring a deep pan of water to the boil, then salt it generously.

Step 2

Peel the potatoes, then add them, whole, to the water. Let them cook for about 15 minutes or until they are tender enough to pierce easily with a metal skewer. Remove the potatoes from the water and set aside to cool a little.

Step 3

Warm the oil in a shallow pan, scatter in half the curry leaves, fry for a minute or two until almost crisp, then remove from the pan with a draining spoon and set aside.

Step 4

Peel the onion, slice it thinly, then stir it into the remaining oil in the shallow pan. Let it cook over a low to moderate heat for 15 minutes or so, stirring from time to time, until soft and pale gold.

Step 5

Line a baking sheet with kitchen foil and preheat an overhead (oven) grill. Cut the potatoes into slices, each roughly the thickness of a couple of £1 coins. Place them flat on the baking sheet. Brush each slice with a little groundnut or vegetable oil, then season lightly with salt and cook under the preheated grill until they start to colour.

Step 6

Scatter the remaining curry leaves into the onion and let them cook for a minute or two. When they darken, stir in the curry paste. Continue cooking for a couple of minutes until the onion is coated with the paste and very fragrant, then stir in the yoghurt and remove from the heat.

Step 7

When the potatoes are golden and sizzling, serve with the curry sauce and scatter with the reserved curry leaves.