I did something completely out of my comfort zone a couple of days ago. I went on LIVE TV to present a recipe! Tandoor Chef invited me to share a vegan recipe on ABC12 WJRT in Flint, Michigan.  Eek! Right? My kids still think it’s the coolest thing that I was on TV.

I’m sure you can imagine I was very nervous. I had never done something like this before, but I wanted to give it a try to overcome my shyness.

Mark Bullion and Elisse Ramey, morning anchors at ABC12 WJRT in Flint, Michigan.

Wait, can a blogger be shy?

Yes, absolutely. I think, as a blogger, sometimes it can get a little too comfortable when you’re behind the computer screen. I wanted to do this project to try a new experience and connect with people in a new way.

I kind of goofed on describing the recipe (which I am about to share with you so keep reading), but overall, I think I did well. It was fun and a great experience! I hope I get an opportunity to go on a news program again to share a blogging topic.

My first time being on TV! I was excited and very nervous.

Potato Masala

The vegan recipe I shared on ABC12 was Potato Masala– an Indian cuisine by Tandoor Chef. Cooking the potato masala recipe was a new experience for me because I had never had it before and I don’t normally eat Indian food. Travis, on the other hand, has eaten Indian food before. It’s actually one of his favorite types of food to eat.

The potato masala is delicious! It is not too spicy. The sweetness from the sugar blends well with the herbs and spices. We loved the potato masala so much that we ended up cooking it again today (Tuesday, 11/28) for lunch. Zhen (5) really loves it, too! When I was cooking it in the kitchen at lunchtime, she was excited and asked me, “Are you making the Potato Masala?! I love Potato Masala!”

Talking with Mark and Elisse before going on the air.
Mark Bullion from ABC12 interviewing me on LIVE TV. Oh my gosh! 🙂
This was the part I kind of messed up on with the recipe. I forgot to describe how to cook it! *covers hands over eyes*

November is Vegan Month

The month of November is known as Vegan Month. Although I am not a vegan, I still very much enjoyed eating the Potato Masala. I also learned some interesting facts about adopting a vegan diet. For instance, there are great health benefits to having a vegan diet, such as eating more fresh fruit, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds. This type of diet also helps lower your blood pressure and cholesterol.

For a little over a year, Travis has been researching the benefits of adopting a plant-based diet. I know he is heavily considering making changes to his diet as he is a big proponent of clean eating. I love clean eating, too, but I am not ready to give up meat. But I will say this, I am happy to try more vegan dishes. The Potato Masala has definitely opened my mind to a new world of cooking.

Tandoor Chef

If you aren’t familiar with Tandoor Chef, let me tell you a little about their food products. Tandoor Chef offers a variety of authentic, restaurant quality Indian meals. You can find their frozen entrees at your local Kroger or Buying Clubs. You can also order Tandoor Chef at Amazon.com.

Tandoor Chef’s Indian meals provide exotic and delicious flavors. There are five vegan options to satisfy your cravings for authentic Indian cuisine. The vegan entrees are made from authentic Indian recipes and they are perfect for lunch, dinner, or anytime!

My Tandoor Chef presentation at ABC12.

Here are some Tandoor Chef options on Amazon Prime if you’d like to try it.

Tandoor Chef Palak Paneer 10 oz. boxes (Pack of 12) | $42.91

Tandoor Chef Tandoori Chicken Samosa 7-Ounce Packages (Pack of 12) | $48.03

Tandoor Chef Channa Masala, 10-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12) | $40.99

Tandoor Chef Tandoori Naan, 9-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 8) | $35.88

Pin this to save for later! 🙂

Ingredients for Potato Masala

24 oz. boiled potatoes

10 Curry Leaves

6 Tbsp. Olive Oil

4 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. Cumin Seeds

Cilantro

Green Chili

Garlic powder to taste

1/2 tsp. Red Chili Powder

(Add salt to taste)

Cumin Seeds Travis bought at a local Asian market.
The curry leaves we purchased were only $1 at a local Indian market.

Cooking Directions

  1. Cut the potatoes into small cubes. After chopping the potatoes, place them in a pot of water and boil at medium-high temperature.
  2. While the potatoes are boiling, chop the cilantro very finely. Set to the side when you are finished.
  3. Next, cut the green chili into small pieces. Set to the side with the finely chopped cilantro. You will add these ingredients together during cooking so it’s okay if you mix the two ingredients
  4. Pour your olive oil into a pan and heat it on medium-high.
  5. Once your pan is hot, add cumin seeds to the pan of oil. Using a spatula, stir around the cumin seeds in the oil.
  6. Let the cumin seeds crackle. After the seeds start to crackle, add garlic powder and the curry leaves.
  7. Stir the cumin seeds, garlic powder, and curry leaves with your spatula.
  8. By now, the potatoes should be ready to add to the pan. Drain the potatoes and then add to the pan.
  9. Lower heat to simmer and add green chili, salt, sugar, red chili powder and chopped cilantro.
  10. Mix well and cover for 3-5 minutes.
  11. Let cool for a few minutes and serve!

Special Note on the Ingredients:

Red Chili Powder: You can substitute the red chili powder for regular chili powder and it will still taste very good.

Curry Leaves: We found our curry leaves at a local Indian market. They only cost us $1 for a small bag of leaves!

Cumin Seeds: Travis found a box of cumin seeds at a local Asian market.

Delicious Potato Masala!

If you cook this recipe, tag me on Instagram @goodlifedetroit or leave me a comment below so I can know how you like it!

You can learn more about Tandoor Chef at their official website here.

Written by

Jennifer Hamra

Freelance creative Jennifer Hamra created her blog Good Life Detroit in 2015 after relocating from Tennessee to Southeast Michigan.

Inspired by her love for personal blogging and photography, Jennifer likes to share her favorite Detroit things, from cool places to visit (the hidden gems are her favorite!) to the amazing people she has connected with over the years.

When she's not busy juggling family life and her creative projects, you can find her at an art gallery, community event, farmers market, or spending quiet time at home with a good book and cup of tea.

Jennifer lives in the metro Detroit area with her husband Travis and their six children.

Connect with Jennifer on social media @goodlifedetroit on all social media platforms or via email at [email protected].