Panch puran, also known as panch phoron, is a traditional spice mixture from Bengal. The word panch means ‘five’ in Hindi and the spice mix is sometimes called Indian five spice. You can but it ready mixed in Asian supermarkets but its easy enough to make your own. Please tone down the chillies in this recipes if you don’t like it as hot as I do. @Yorky - I think you might like this.
Ingredients (serves 2)
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 350g potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- ½ tsp each of fennel seeds, kalonji (nigella) seeds, fenugreek seeds, brown mustard seeds, cumin seeds (this is the 5 spice mix)
- 3 tbsp mustard oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 tbsp dried kashmiri chiliies (substitute small dried chillies of your choice)
- Thumb sized piece of ginger, grated
- 3 fat cloves of garlic, grated
- A few curry leaves (optional)
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 3 whole fresh birds eye chillies
- 1 medium strength geen chilli, chopped
- 6 tbsp water
- Heat a non-stick pan over a medium hot heat and add the five spice seeds and dried chillies. Fry for a minute or so until the seeds begin to pop. Blitz the spices to a powder in a spice grinder.
- Heat the mustard oil. Add the grated ginger and garlic and fry gently for a few minutes ( I grate it straight into the pan using a microplane)..
- Add the blitzed spice mix, turmeric, potatoes, whole birds eye chillies, dried chillies, chopped green chilli and curry leaves, turning everything to coat the potato with the spice mixture.
- Add the water and turn up the heat to bring to simmering point. Turn the heat right down, and cover the pan.
- Cook over a very low heat until the potatoes are tender (approx. 15 -20 mins). You should be left with a fairly dry curry. If necessary, continue to cook for a few minutes without the lid, to allow any remaining water to evaporate.
Last edited:
