Indian Potato Curry

Potato Curry or Aloo Tari, how we Indians call it, is a simple Indian curry dish often made during the festive season and/or for everyday meals. This curry is simple, quick (thanks to the instant pot) and tastes so good. Here is my version of Festive Potato Curry that doesn’t use onion and garlic, yet very flavorful. Presenting my simple, vegan potato curry made in 5-minutes.

Indian potato dishes have many variations – there are semi-dry potato stir fry dishes, rich dum aloo, spicy potato kofta Akbari, and my favorite simple no onion and garlic potato curry. The curry takes a drastic turn when it travels from East to West and North to the South within the territory of India.

South Indian curries with potatoes are tempered with curry leaves, green chilies, and split gram lentils whereas North Indian versions are fairly spicy with a copious use of dried masala powders.

The one I am sharing here is a vrat-version, which is often eaten during the fasting days. My potato curry uses just five ingredients – potatoes, tomatoes, ginger, green chilies, and a spice mix (turmeric+coriander+garam masala+curry powder) and fresh cilantro to garnish. I often temper this dish with jeera or whole cumin seeds and add the blended puree, add potatoes, and a quick pressure cook. The dish may have very minimal ingredients, but it has a robust flavor with a good amount of heat, mild tanginess from tomatoes and a fresh herby flavor from the gingers often balanced by the starchy potatoes.

How to Make Potato Curry?

To make the potato curry, you will need the following ingredients.

Ingredients for the Potato Curry:

3 to 4 Large-size potatoes (washed, peeled, and sliced or diced), Spice and tomatoes puree – 2 large tomatoes, 1 inch ginger, 3-5 green chilies or Indian chilies, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala, and 1 teaspoon homemade or store-bought curry powder(I used homemade curry powder without onion and garlic), salt to taste

1 teaspoon cooking oil of choice and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds to Temper

Wash, peel and cut the potatoes:

• Wash and peel the raw potatoes by using a sharp knife or a peeler.
• Cut them length-wise as shown or dice the way you want.
• Soak the potatoes in water for five minutes. This step helps in removing excess starch from the potatoes.

Make the tomato-spice puree:

In a medium-size blender, add tomatoes, spices, and herbs with salt. Blend until a fine puree is formed.

Making Potato Curry in Instant Pot:

• Set the instant pot into the sauté mode and add the cooking oil.
• Now add the cumin seeds and allow them to splutter and brown a bit.
• Now add the tomato-spice puree and give a good mix.
• Allow the mixture to come to a boil (approximately 2-3 minutes).
• Now add potatoes and mix well.

• If you like a hot curry, add ½ teaspoon of chili powder at this point and mix well.
• Cover and seal the lid. Set the mode to pressure cook and add 3 minutes in the timer.
• After the beep, wait for 5 minutes more before quick releasing pressure.
• Open the lid and give a good stir.
• Now add a cup of water, and bring the mixture to a boil in the sauté mode. Adjust the consistency as per your preference. I like a runny potato curry than a thick one, so I avoid crushing some potatoes while cooking.
• Once the curry boils, switch off the instant pot and add chopped cilantro and adjust salt if necessary.
• Serve hot with poori, rice or naan.

Stovetop Method:

• Heat a large saucepan and add the oil.
• Now add cumin seeds and allow it to splutter.
• Once the seeds are fragrant, add the puree and allow it to boil.
• Cook the mixture till it thickens a bit.
• Now add the potatoes, cover and lower the heat to a simmering temperature.
• Allow the potatoes to cook in the sauce for about five minutes and then add a cup of water.
• Now cook the mixture for another 15 minutes till potatoes are tender.
• Add chopped cilantro and serve hot with poori, rice or naan.

Variation of the Potato Curry:

• Add asafoetida and dried, whole red chili while spluttering cumin.
• Add curry leaves and mustard seeds with cumin seeds in the tempering step.
• Add 1 teaspoon of fennel seed powder in the end for a sweeter flavor.
• Add 1 teaspoon of Kasuri methi or a handful of fresh fenugreek leaves to the curry for a beautiful aroma.
• Skip green chilies and double the red chili powder for a hotter curry.
• Skip curry powder and add 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 2 teaspoon coriander powder and ½ teaspoon chili powder as a replacement.

📖 Recipe

What to Serve with Potato Curry?

Usually, Indians love poori or paratha with potato curry. But this dish also goes well with naan bread, rice and quinoa.

What potatoes are best for curry?

White or gold potatoes are best for Indian curries. Even red potatoes work well for this curry. But Russet potatoes are not the right choice for this curry.

Is potato curry vegan?

Yes, this potato curry is vegan and gluten-free. If you use ghee for cooking this curry, it will be a vegetarian version.

Is Indian curry vegan?

Most meatless Indian curries are vegan if they are dairy-free. Any Indian curry without ghee, cream, yogurt, and paneer are vegan. This potato curry and this Indian inspired vegan curry are awesome vegan curry choices.

What are the types of Indian Potato Curries?

Some of the best and most appreciated Indian potato curries are – aloo dum, potato masala, potato korma, potato coconut curry, potato curry, and potato and spinach dish. In addition to these, there are many other regional-cuisine inspired curries made throughout India.

Some of my best curry dishes are:

• Vegan Curry
• Cauliflower Tikka Masala
• And, Basic Indian Curry Paste