Masala Aloo

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Masala Aloo Recipe
All curries are not with gravies and do not require sautéing of onions-tomatoes-ginger-garlic. In fact, in most South Indian cuisines, a curry is a dry saute of vegetables! Potatoes was one of the first things I cooked as a 10 year old girl. My grandmom would keep boiled potatoes ready and I would make a simple curry roast
the secret to absolutely delicious Masala Aloo
The one potato recipe you MUST have in your folder of favourite recipes - crispy masaledaar, crusted with dry spices, super delicious with naan, roti or dal and rice. Get it here!
 Courseside dish
 CuisineIndian, north Indian
 Prep Time10 minutes
 Cook Time30 minutes
 Servings
 serving
INGREDIENTS
  • 4 to 5 potatoes medium
  • 1 tbsp rice flour or corn meal
  • 2 tbsps vegetable oil
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (optional, but really elevates the taste)
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 tbsp coriander powder powder
    • 1 tsp cumin powder powder
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (upto 1 tsp)
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped for garnish
    The secret to absolutely delicious Masala Aloo
    INSTRUCTIONS
    1. Pressure cook* or boil potatoes until they are well cooked. Once cool enough to handle, peel the skins and quarter each potato into 4 large pieces.
    2. In a large bowl, toss the pieces in rice flour coating well, and keep aside.
    3. In a large non-stick wok / kadai, heat the oil. Add asafoetida and cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add the coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and SALT to the oil.
    4. Stir well so that all the spice powder including salt get cooked in oil.
    5. Do this on a low flame so that none of the spices burn. Immediately, throw in the rice flour tossed potato chunks, stirring gently to coat with the spices and oil. 
      6. cooker with an inch high water in the cooker. Do NOT add any water to the container in which the potatoes are kept.
      Close pressure cooker lid with the whistle. Keep on high flame and allow two whistles, lower the flame to minimum and let this be on sim for 7 minutes or so. Keep for 10 minutes for bigger sized potatoes, or they will be raw inside.
      Once pressure falls, let out excess steam by pulling up the whistle with a pair of tongs and open lid.
      Insert a knife inside the potato to check if it is cooked all the way through. Peel when cool enough to handle. Do not wash with water to cool the potatoes quickly, they will become soggy.
      No pressure cooker? You can boil potatoes in a pot of water until nearly tender and peel them when they are cool enough to handle.