1. Potatoes: You can use any Potato for this dish. For today's post I used the red variety - I might want to sound like a pretentious know all and say "for color and texture and best suited for roasting " or accept that its the type I had on hand on this particular day ;) But I do think New Potatoes would be best for this dish.
2. Cumin: You can also try this dish with Caraway seeds instead of Cumin.
3. Cumin Powder: For the less fussy cook, you can also use Cumin-Coriander powder that you get in the Indian stores which I know is lurking around in that pantry refusing to get over. But for the meticulous ones, if you don't have have some in hand, making your own is ridiculously easy. Dry roast some cumin until aromatic in a skillet. And grind it into a fine powder with that fancy Coffee grinder you have been dying to put to regular use ;)
4. Lemon Juice: If you cook Indian food more often, then most probably your pantry would carry a spice called "Amchoor"/ "Dry Mango Powder" made from dried green mangoes. It adds a nice tang to the dishes. Add 1/2 tsp of mango powder if you have it. But if you don't or like me are partial to fresh lemon juice ( too many lemons in the backyard), then simply add it as per your liking.