Chaat masala potatoes with fennel fronds chutney yogurt and pickled fennel

Last night’s dinner was a spontaneous creation inspired by a thoughtful gift from my allotment neighbor—tiny, tender baby fennel bulbs. I’ve always loved the fresh, aromatic taste of fennel, but these were extra special, freshly plucked and bursting with potential.

It all started while my other half and I were grocery shopping. We walked past a pack of ready-to-cook baby potatoes, and suddenly, I was reminded of the chaat masala potatoes recipe from Flavour by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage. It’s one of those dishes that’s equal parts comforting and exciting, and I couldn’t resist the thought of recreating it with a twist. The fennel bulbs sparked an idea—I could adapt the recipe to make the most of this fresh, fragrant gift.

I decided to incorporate the fennel in two ways. The delicate, feathery fronds replaced the coriander in the chutney, adding a sweet and herbal note that paired beautifully with the spices. As for the bulbs, I thinly sliced and quick-pickled them with a splash of apple cider vinegar, substituting them for the onions and chilies. This gave the dish a light, tangy crunch that balanced the richness of the roasted potatoes and creamy yoghurt.

The result was a dish bursting with layers of flavor and texture: spiced, golden potatoes nestled on a smooth bed of yoghurt, swirled with vibrant fennel chutney and topped with crunchy pickled fennel and toasted seeds. It was a simple yet satisfying way to celebrate the beauty of fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Here’s the full recipe:

Ingredients

750g baby new potatoes, cut lengthways into 1cm-thick slices

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chaat masala

½ tsp ground turmeric

250g Greek-style yoghurt

1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted

1½ tsp nigella seeds, toasted

Salt and pepper

For the fennel frond chutney:

30g fennel fronds

1 green chili, deseeded and roughly chopped

1 tbsp lime juice

60ml olive oil

¼ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan).

2. Slice the fennel bulb thinly and place in a bowl with a pinch of salt and apple cider vinegar. Set aside to pickle.

3. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 6 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and pat dry.

4. Spread the potatoes on a baking tray. Toss with olive oil, chaat masala, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and crispy.

5. Blitz the fennel fronds, green chili, lime juice, olive oil, and salt in a food processor to make the chutney.

6. Spread the yoghurt on a serving platter. Swirl the chutney into the yoghurt.

7. Top the yoghurt with the roasted potatoes. Add the pickled fennel slices and sprinkle with toasted coriander and nigella seeds.

8. Serve immediately and enjoy!

This dish is perfect as a side or a light main, and it’s a delicious way to highlight the versatility of fennel.

Last night’s dinner was a spontaneous creation inspired by a thoughtful gift from my allotment neighbor—tiny, tender baby fennel bulbs. I’ve always loved the fresh, aromatic taste of fennel, but these were extra special, freshly plucked and bursting with potential.

It all started while my other half and I were grocery shopping. We walked past a pack of ready-to-cook baby potatoes, and suddenly, I was reminded of the chaat masala potatoes recipe from Flavour by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage. It’s one of those dishes that’s equal parts comforting and exciting, and I couldn’t resist the thought of recreating it with a twist. The fennel bulbs sparked an idea—I could adapt the recipe to make the most of this fresh, fragrant gift.

I decided to incorporate the fennel in two ways. The delicate, feathery fronds replaced the coriander in the chutney, adding a sweet and herbal note that paired beautifully with the spices. As for the bulbs, I thinly sliced and quick-pickled them with a splash of apple cider vinegar, substituting them for the onions and chilies. This gave the dish a light, tangy crunch that balanced the richness of the roasted potatoes and creamy yoghurt.

The result was a dish bursting with layers of flavor and texture: spiced, golden potatoes nestled on a smooth bed of yoghurt, swirled with vibrant fennel chutney and topped with crunchy pickled fennel and toasted seeds. It was a simple yet satisfying way to celebrate the beauty of fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Here’s the full recipe:

Ingredients

750g baby new potatoes, cut lengthways into 1cm-thick slices

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chaat masala

½ tsp ground turmeric

250g Greek-style yoghurt

1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted

1½ tsp nigella seeds, toasted

Salt and pepper

For the fennel frond chutney:

30g fennel fronds

1 green chili, deseeded and roughly chopped

1 tbsp lime juice

60ml olive oil

¼ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan).

2. Slice the fennel bulb thinly and place in a bowl with a pinch of salt and apple cider vinegar. Set aside to pickle.

3. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 6 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and pat dry.

4. Spread the potatoes on a baking tray. Toss with olive oil, chaat masala, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and crispy.

5. Blitz the fennel fronds, green chili, lime juice, olive oil, and salt in a food processor to make the chutney.

6. Spread the yoghurt on a serving platter. Swirl the chutney into the yoghurt.

7. Top the yoghurt with the roasted potatoes. Add the pickled fennel slices and sprinkle with toasted coriander and nigella seeds.

8. Serve immediately and enjoy!

This dish is perfect as a side or a light main, and it’s a delicious way to highlight the versatility of fennel.