Spring

Ramps & fingerling potatoes curry.- an Indian Ramp Tramp contagion

by:
May 10, 2011
0
0 Ratings
  • Makes 2 servings
Author Notes

I'm convinced that Mrslarkin's (ought to be trademarked) term 'ramp tramp' is severely contagious. My 2 yr old just got admitted into this society!
Ramps have always fascinated me ever since I saw them being sauteed on Emeril Lagasses show on Food Network. This was a vegetable I'd never heard of in my native India, simply because they do not grow there. Also, since its such a seasonal produce, gourmet to boot and not available in the local grocery, makes it all the more inaccessible, leave alone trying to make an Indian dish out of it.
Ramps seem to be tailor made for Indian cuisine. I'd probably spend the rest of the ramp season incorporating it into every recipe that came to mind if they weren't so scarce & expensive.
I've adapted Ramps into a classic 'lunch box' curry that many kids in India carry to school. Dry, (you don't want food dripping onto the books) yet moist enough to complement a buttery paratha. Or simply as a side to Plain Basmati Rice & Yellow Dal.
Given that Ramp is a very seasonal produce, I substitute 3 cloves & garlic and a bunch of scallions to enjoy this dish the rest of the year! —Panfusine

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups baby fingerling potatoes
  • 10-12 stalks of whole Ramp, (OR)
  • 1 bunch Scallions (and)
  • 3 cloves garlic, Peeled
  • 1 tablespoon salt for adding to water used for boiling the potato
  • 1 pinch turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tablespoon finely minced Fresh ginger root
  • 1 small green chili, finely chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried Mango powder (aamchur)
  • 1/2 teaspoon toasted cumin powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon toasted coriander powder
  • 1 pinch sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon toasted dessicated fenugreek leaves
  • lime wedges
  • finely chopped cilantro for garnish
Directions
  1. to obtain the toasted cumin & coriander powder, simply toast 1 teaspoon of each spice in a small skillet. Powder and use the required amount. Toss the dried fenugreek leaves onto the same skillet after its been removed from the heat. the warmth is enough to perfectly toast the delicate leaves. Crush the leaves with the fingertips prior to adding to the dish.
  2. In a pinch bowl combine the dried mango powder, toasted cumin & coriander seed powders, sugar and the crushed fenugreek leaves. Set aside till needed.
  3. Wash the baby fingerling potatoes & boil them in water to which salt & turmeric have been added. This yields a bright yellow color to the potato without coloring the ramps. Cook till fork tender. Drain off the water, peel & set aside. (you may cut them up so that they are of uniform size)
  4. Cut and discard the roots of the ramp. Chop the entire plant as you would chop a scallion. Set aside.
  5. Heat oil in a skillet. when it begins to smoke, add the mustard seeds. When they sputter, lower the heat &add the ginger & green chili. Stir and add salt.
  6. Add the ramps & saute till the greens are limp and the white parts begin to soften. At this point, add the potatoes & stir to combine well. Cover and allow for the flavors to blend.
  7. Add the spice blend & toss to coat evenly. (you may drizzle some extra oil at this point to ensure that the spice sticks to the potatoes). Retain on heat for about 2 minutes before transferring to a serving dish.
  8. Squeeze a wedge of lime & garnish with finely chopped cilantro prior to serving.
  9. Serve with Indian Roti/ Naan or with plain rice & Dal

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • JoyceB
    JoyceB
  • creamtea
    creamtea
  • Midge
    Midge
  • fiveandspice
    fiveandspice
  • hardlikearmour
    hardlikearmour
A biomedical engineer/ neuroscientist by training, currently a mommy blogger on a quest for all things food - Indian Palate, Global perspective!

21 Reviews

JoyceB October 1, 2017
I love this recipe. Thank you.
CSA box has been full of new potatoes for the last few weeks, so although ramps aren't in season, using scallions and garlic works beautifully.
 
Elise April 21, 2014
Thank you for a really wonderful recipe! I added some frozen peas and a couple pieces of sole to make a meal of it. This time I used the lower, whiter parts of the ramps and find I preferred the taste (it seems a bit milder) to using all of the green leaves. I even had some garden fingerling potatoes left from last summer, along with garlic and green peppers from "out there." Exciting to eat a garden meal in April!
 
Panfusine April 21, 2014
Thanks Elise, So glad you liked the recipe. Green Peas and peppers would be a fabulous addition to the dish.
 
creamtea May 11, 2012
I just made it again with scallions & garlic 'stead of ramps. I am, like, scraping the herbs & spices off the bottom of the pan & licking the spoon like a lollipop. Please don't tell.
 
Panfusine May 11, 2012
LOLZ!! Nyaah, I won't.. I do that all the time.. I literally wipe the dish clean with a piece of bread!
 
creamtea May 2, 2012
Made this! It has been calling my name. I had to take some liberties: no turmeric in the house, ditto for black mustard seeds (used yellow); red Fresno chiles instead of green, no fenugreek leaves and no amchoor, so used lemon juice. I'm so excited, I finally got mustard seeds to sizzle! Never managed it before. Anyway, these are delicious. Will make them again and again. Out of ramp season, I'll use garlic & scallions.
 
Panfusine May 3, 2012
Fenugreek is perfectly optional! So glad you liked it Creamtea!
 
creamtea April 23, 2012
This looks seriously good.
 
Panfusine April 27, 2012
Thanks Creamtea!
 
Jenb42 January 22, 2012
Yum! This was delicious even though I had to make a lot of changes. I have never heard of ramps. I looked them up and was able to discover what they are but not where to get them around here. They may not grow in the Northwest, or they may be what we call "garlic scapes" in the spring. Either way, no ramps.

But everyone said they were kinda leek-garlicky so I substituted leek greens & garlic for the ramps. It was absolutely delicious (although I had to add a bit of water and cook the leek greens a bit after I added them to make them tender.) I also don't have a spice grinder, so I toasted ground coriander & cumin until they were dark & fragrant, which seemed to work fine. I was also out of cooking oil so used butter, which of course was tasty.

SO DELICIOUS. This is truly lovely. I'm going to add some chickpeas next time, and make a double or triple recipe so I can eat it throughout the week.
 
Panfusine January 22, 2012
Thanks Jenb42... Ramps, (unfortunately) fall into those 'available for 2 weeks in spring' category of vegetables, but its definitely well worth it to make full use of when in season!
 
Midge May 11, 2011
This is what I want to make with my next ramp score! What about mango powder; is it easily available?
 
fiveandspice May 10, 2011
Awesome! Especially that your two year old is using the term ramp tramp, haha!
 
Panfusine May 10, 2011
She wouldn't let me click pictures without scarfing the potatoes down! had as much fun taking pix of her 'pigging out'!
 
hardlikearmour May 10, 2011
Yum, this sounds like a perfect lunch box dish!
 
Panfusine May 10, 2011
Thanks, I'm still reeling from the flavor of the ramps.. Definitely love at first bite!, thoughts practically bordering on sneaking some to India on my next visit & having them planted there to flourish!
 
hardlikearmour May 10, 2011
I can see the headlines now "Ramp Invasion, Panfusion to Blame."
 
Panfusine May 10, 2011
LOL, thanks to the ultimate tracking device that the net is.. They'll zero in on me in no time & slap me with littering accusations.. & then go on to gorge on Ramps.. Ramps Chutney, Ramps Dal, Tandoori Ramps, Ramps Raita, Ramps Naan, Ramps Pulav, Ramps Kofta....
 
hardlikearmour May 10, 2011
Ooooooh, you need to make some ramp naan! Just thinking about it is making me salivate.
 
Panfusine May 11, 2011
Ramps Naan would work out fabulous in fact...Conceptually & Taste wise, its a sure fire item.. (no promises, but I'll see if I can whip up some by tomorrow's deadline..)
 
fiveandspice May 11, 2011
Do it!!! Then share! Yum.