The 45 minutes of simmering requires a little planning ahead, but this is so easy to throw together.

• 1 tablespoon ghee (make
  it or buy it) or vegetable oil
• 1 generous pinch asafetida
• 1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or other chilli powder (optional) (NOTE: this is not the Mexican spice blend called chili powder, but simply dried hot peppers ground to a powder)
• 4 cups water

• Have everything ready before beginning to cook.
• Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium flame until it almost smokes. Put in the asafetida and the cumin. Stir once. Cumin seeds will begin to sizzle in a few seconds.
• When cumin seeds sizzle, add potatoes, tomato paste, turmeric, salt, and optional cayenne.
• Stir and continue to fry for 2 minutes.
• Add water and bring to a boil.
• Cover, lower heat, and simmer gently for 45 minutes.
• Remove from heat and coarsely mash potatoes into the rest of the soup with a potato masher or a slotted spoon.
• Serve in small bowls. Is also good over a little bit of rice.