Viazi Karai with a Sweet and Sour Ukwaju Sauce

Step 1

Start by boiling the clean potatoes in 2 cups of water. Add the garlic, ginger, 1/2 of the cumin, salt and black pepper and boil them together.Boiling the potatoes alongside all these spices gives the potato to be coated a great depth of flavor rather than just boiling them in plain salt.This way, both the coating and the potatoes are well spiced and seasoned.

Step 2

Let the potatoes boil until they are cooked through but MAKE SURE THEY ARE STILL FIRM and not crumbly.

Step 3

Make the batter(coating) by mixing the all purpose flour with the spices. That is, mix together the flour with paprika, turmeric, coriander, black pepper, the remaining cumin, salt and chili.

Step 4

Add in some water gradually, mixing until you get a smooth pancake-batter-like consistency.

Step 5

Add in the chopped dhania/coriander.

Step 6

Dip the cooked potatoes into the batter until each is evenly coated.

Step 7

One by one, deep fry them in fairly hot vegetable oil until you achieve a deep golden brown color.

Step 8

Take them out onto kitchen towels or parchment paper to drain excess oil and cook the remaining batches.

Step 9

Meanwhile, work on the sauce.

Step 10

Soak the tamarind in hot water for 20 minutes until it softens up. Use your hands to rub and squeeze off the softened pulp and separate it from the fibers and seeds.Sieve them out and save the thick murky brown water. That's the liquid that will make up the sauce.

Step 11

Start by adding the ginger and garlic onto a pan in 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil.

Step 12

Cook them for 2 minutes until they're fragrant.

Step 13

Next in, add the paprika and coriander. Let these toast for a minute on medium heat.

Step 14

Add in the grated/blended tomatoes and stir them in.

Step 15

Add in 3 tablespoons of honey and mix this in.

Step 16

Next in, add the Ukwaju water and turn the heat up.

Step 17

Let this boil for upto 10 minutes until it begins to thicken up.

Step 18

As it begins to thicken, add in some salt and chillies.

Step 19

Taste to adjust the seasoning and the heat from the chillies.

Step 20

Finish off with some black pepper.

Step 21

Let this cool off and serve it alongside the viazi karai.