Step 1

Heat up oven to 200°C/390°F.

Step 2

Up to you if you peel the potatoes. Quarter the potatoes and place in large bowl. Add the salt, tomato paste, curry paste, curry powder, and oil. Give it all a good mix and make sure each potato is well covered.

Step 3

Layer the potatoes over a large oven tray and place in oven.

Step 4

After 15 minutes, remove from oven and (if using) add the dried basil and garlic. Roughly flip the potatoes and ensure the basil is mixed in. Cook for another 10-15 minutes - the potatoes should be easy to pierce with a fork. If using fresh basil and garlic, add about five minutes before the end of cooking, once again making sure it is all mixed in.

Step 5

Serve (with vinegar if desired) as a side dish or with dips like yoghurt, hummus or creme fraiche.

Step 6

To get an even crispier yet still fluffy texture to the potatoes, follow the first steps of preparation as above. After cooking for 15 minutes, remove the potatoes from the oven. Add the dried basil and garlic (if using) Let cool for five minutes, then put them back in the oven for a further five minutes. Remove them again and let cool, followed by another five minutes of cooking. Repeat twice more, adding the fresh basil and garlic (if using) before the final five minutes. These Bombay potatoes are unbeatable.