Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Aloo Jeera
A super quick, classic dry potato dish tossed with an abundance of roasted cumin seeds and basic Indian spices.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- potatoes
- cumin seeds (jeera)
- green chilies
- ginger
- turmeric
- coriander powder
- amchur (dry mango powder)
- fresh coriander
- ghee or oil
Equipment
- Wide frying pan
Instructions
- 1
Boil Potatoes
Boil the potatoes until they are just tender (do not over-boil or they will become mushy). Let them cool completely.
- 2
Peel and Cube
Peel the cooled potatoes and cut them into bite-sized cubes.
- 3
Heat Fat
Heat oil or ghee in a wide pan. Ghee gives this simple dish an incredibly rich flavor.
- 4
Bloom Cumin
Add a very generous amount of cumin seeds (jeera). Let them crackle and turn dark brown, releasing their nutty aroma.
- 5
Add Aromatics
Add a pinch of hing (asafoetida), finely chopped ginger, and slit green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.
- 6
Add Dry Spices
Turn the heat to low. Add turmeric and coriander powder. Sauté for just 5 seconds so they don't burn.
- 7
Toss the Potatoes
Immediately add the cubed potatoes. Toss them gently to coat them completely in the spiced cumin oil.
- 8
Pan Fry
Increase the heat slightly and pan-fry the potatoes for 4-5 minutes until they develop a slight crispy crust on the edges.
- 9
Add Salt
Sprinkle salt evenly over the potatoes and mix well.
- 10
Add Tanginess
Turn off the heat. Sprinkle a teaspoon of amchur (dry mango powder) for a subtle tangy kick.
- 11
Add Fresh Coriander
Garnish generously with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.
- 12
Serve
Serve immediately as a side dish with Dal and Rice, or as a main dish wrapped inside a paratha.
Cooking Tips
- Cooling the boiled potatoes completely before cutting is the secret to ensuring they don't break apart in the pan.
- The dish relies heavily on cumin, so don't be shy—use more jeera than you normally would for other curries.
Variations
- Aloo Methi Jeera: Add a handful of fresh chopped fenugreek leaves along with the potatoes.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The ultimate savior dish in an Indian kitchen when you need to cook something delicious in under 15 minutes.
Nutrition Estimate
220 calories · 4g protein · 32g carbs · 10g fat · 4g fiber per serving
