Aloo Masala (Spiced Potatoes)
Published March 10, 2020
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
1 tablespoon urad dal (split black gram)
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 tablespoons roughly chopped roasted cashews
1 green finger chile (or serrano chile), finely chopped
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
½ lemon, for squeezing
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
40 grams carbs; 259 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 10 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 277 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein; 3 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a pot of water to boil over high. Once the water boils, add the potatoes. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes, then drain in a colander.
- Step 2
In a heavy pot, heat the oil over medium. Add the urad dal, cumin and mustard seeds, and fry until cumin seeds are browned and dal is crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the cashews, chile and ginger, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the onion, salt and turmeric, and lower the heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and tender but not browned, about 5 minutes.
- Step 3
Tip the cooked potatoes, half the cilantro and ¼ cup water into the pot, and stir well to coat. As you stir, let some of the potato get mashed. If the mixture seems dry, add a splash more of water. Cook over low, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are heated through, about 5 minutes, then season to taste with salt. Scrape into a serving dish; top with a generous squeeze of lemon and the remaining cilantro.
Private Notes
Comments
What is urad dal (split black gram)? Is it a lentil or spice?
I'm pretty sure this is urad dal, AKA black dal, that is used in dal makhani. I also suspect that if you can't find it you could probably sub green (French) lentils.
Do yourself a favor and drizzle a spoon of ghee over this dish at the end!
Made it with a few substitutions based on what I had on hand: sweet potato instead of regular potato, walnuts for cashews, red onion for yellow onion, red lentils for urad dal, a tablespoon of ginger miso paste instead of fresh ginger. Doubled the amount of cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Turned out great!
Not sure why only four stars when this one is a five star keeper for a quintessential, simple Indian potato dish. If you’re not already stocked with basic Indian spices, this might seem overwhelming. But it’s actually easy to make and can be tweaked. I loved the cashews. It came out well with a little more mustard seed and cumin, plus I added a pinch of hing/asafoetida. Curry leaves are also great. Do watch the video before cooking, as the steps and proportions differ slightly from what’s written.
I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I generally find potatoes to be a bland and useless filler food. These are the exception- I would eat an entire plate of these on their own.