Banda Kopir Tarkari (Vegetables Stir Fried With Spices)

Ingredients	Quantity
Turmeric	½ tsp
Potatoes – cubed	½ pound (225gms)
Bay leaf	1
Ground cumin	½ tsp
Ground ginger	½ tsp
Chilli powder	¼ tsp
Tomatoes – chopped	4
Cabbage – finely sliced	1 cup
Peas	½ cup
Oil
Salt

In Bangladesh, cabbage is usually available in the market during the winter season, as are tomatoes, peas and carrots. So this dish appears quite frequently at Bengali dinner tables during the winter. In the markets where such vegetables are available year round, banda is a popular standard." Meghna Guharthakurta, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Start by heating the oil in a heavy pan and put in the turmeric and some salt. Fry for a few seconds and then add the cubed potatoes, turning frequently so that they turn yellow from the turmeric. Cook them for 5-10 minutes (they will complete their cooking later) and remove them from the oil and set aside. Adding more oil if necessary, now sauté the onion slices until they are soft and transparent. Then add the bay leaf, cumin, ginger and chilli powder. Stir well and put in the tomatoes. When they have begun to break down, add the cabbage bit by bit, stirring it in well so that it is sautéed in the spices. Cover and cook gently for 3-5 minutes. Finally put in the peas and semi-fried potatoes and seasoning. Mix well, replace the cover and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes or until potatoes are ready.