Make spiced smashed potatoes to fill flavorful parathas and roti roll-ups

Potatoes are one of the most popular foods on the planet. They're a staple ingredient in almost every cuisine and can be cooked an infinite number of ways. Food writer and "Indian-ish" cookbook author Priya Krishna is joining TODAY to show off the versatility of the humble potato: She shows us how to prepare spiced new potatoes and use the leftovers to make toasty parathas and rolled-up roti with cilantro chutney.

Red Chile Potatoes by Priya Krishna

After my sister and I kept sneaking bites out of her Tuesday dinner, a salted, chaat masala-fied version of this dish eventually became part of our weeknight dinner rotation. This is not some fancy party showstopper, but it's wonderful in its simplicity and too tasty not to share.

Aloo (Potato) Parathas by Priya Krishna

When I go back home to Dallas, my priorities are usually something like the following: Get eyebrows threaded, go to the Galleria mall with mom and eat aloo parathas at my aunt Rachna's house. I typically text Rachna, who is one of my mom's sisters-in-law, the minute I land at DFW airport, and we set a date for me to come over and eat aloo parathas while we gossip about her son Ruchir's love life.

Roti Roli Poli by Priya Krishna

My family never purchases food at airports or train stations — it's a holdover from my mom's paranoia about what she perceived to be the loose hygiene standards at Indian train station kiosks. So instead, when I was growing up, whenever we would travel my mom would take whatever leftover sabzi (potatoes) we had in the fridge, roll it up into rotis and wrap them in foil like taquitos. These are the ideal travel food: They are small and portable, they don't leak and they are so filling!

If you like those make-ahead recipes, you should also try these:

Sunny Anderson's Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary and Thyme by Sunny Anderson

Chana Masala (Garbanzo Curry) by Maneet Chauhan