Jeera Aloo, aka “cumin potatoes” is a really great dish that you'll find all over North India. My daughter loves it, and I make it for her almost every week. It’s one of our main go-to’s. It also has the bonus of being relatively inexpensive. You can pick up 10 pounds of russet potatoes at Costco for about $7. So you can feed a lot of people. And who doesn't love fried potatoes?
To make this easy:
First, parboil or steam the Russet potatoes (you can use other varieties such as Yukon Gold or Red as well). I use my Instant Pot with a steaming basket. Fill the basket with cleaned, uncut potatoes and cook on high pressure for eight minutes and natural release. After 20 minutes the pressure should be down and you can release them, but I like to do this first thing in the morning and let it sit most of the day until I start cooking. This way - they cool down and they’re easier to peel.
Once cool, peel and cube into one inch pieces.
Warm a 10-inch or 12inch frying pan on medium heat. Use enough canola oil to fully oil the pan bottom and sides - a scant 1/8th inch of oil should cover the top of the pan.
Add 1-1/2 tablespoons curry leaves, 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds (for 3 medium potatoes, double for 6-7 potatoes).
Let fry for about about a minute or so. Get it to the point where you hear the seeds popping. Once that popping sound begins, throw the potatoes down on the pan. I like to do this at around medium or medium-high heat. You need the pan pretty hot so that you can really get a nice crispy crust. This might take about 10-15 minutes depending on how hot your pan is. Be careful not to let them burn.
Combine and set aside 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon salt (or a bit more if you like it saltier), and 1/2 teaspoon garam masala (optional).
Once potatoes are crispy and have a crust formed on all sides of the potatoes, add the spice mix
Lightly mash about 1/4 of the potatoes with spatula, esp. the bigger pieces
Incorporate the spice mix and fry another 3-5 minutes
Turn heat down to low and cover. If the potatoes seem dry, add approx 1/4 to 1/2 cup water while still on medium, and incorporate. Put just enough to give it a little bit of moistness to the potatoes. Add 1/2 teaspoon mango powder and mix. Cover and remove heat. Let pan sit, covered for 5-10 minutes.
Garnish with chopped cilantro (enough to cover the top, per your taste).
This is a good weeknight dish, and you can even boil or steam the potatoes the night before, peel them and have it ready to go for cook time. It all comes together in 15-20 minutes. Serve with roti/chapati, achaar pickle, and dahi (plain yogurt).
Enjoy!
Please let me know in the comments if you liked it, if you did any variations, and also what other recipes you'd like to see from me in the future. Just email me — vivek@productmarketingpartners.com or post a comment here.
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