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1
Peel the potatoes, cut them into 1-inch chunks, and boil in salted water to cover until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
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2
Drain.
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3
Put the butter in a 12-inch skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat.
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4
Wait a couple of minutes, then add the potatoes.
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5
Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, turning to brown each side but not stirring too often.
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6
Add the onion when the potatoes are nearly done, after 10 to 15 minutes of cooking; cook, stirring, until the onion softens and begins to brown, 5 to 10 minutes.
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7
Add the seasonings, then taste and add more salt, cayenne, or amchoor if you like and serve hot or at room temperature.
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8
In step 2, cook 1 tablespoon mustard seeds in the oil before adding the potatoes.
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9
Omit the onion and, along with the potatoes, add 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds and 1 teaspoon ground turmeric.
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10
Add 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and minced, or to taste, and cook for another minute or two, then finish with some chopped fresh cilantro leaves and about 1/4 cup chopped cashews (optional).
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11
A popular vegetarian dish: Follow the preceding variation and add 3 or 4 hard-cooked eggs (page 338), each cut into about 8 pieces, and 2 cored, seeded, and chopped tomatoes along with the chiles.
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12
Cook for another 2 minutes or so, then garnish and serve.
