This is a South Indian style recipe of a delicious, flavorful and hotel style Potato Kurma or Aloo Kurma. Great to serve as a side dish with chapathi, poori, pulao, biryani, idli or dosa.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients

  • 7 to 8 dry kashmiri chilies
  • 1.5 tablespoons coriander seeds
  • 2 teaspoons poppy seeds ((khus khus))
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1.5 to 1.75 cups chopped potatoes (- 300 grams or or 3 medium or 2 large potatoes, peel and cut the potatoes in 1.5 to 2 inches cubes)
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • ½ cup thinly sliced onions (- 75 grams or medium to large)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste (or ½ inch ginger + 3 to 4 small to medium garlic cloves - crushed in mortar-pestle)
  • 4 tablespoons curd ((yogurt) - 60 grams, fresh and full fat)
  • 1 to 1.5 cups water (or add as required)
  • ¾ cup Coconut Milk (Thick)
  • 8 to 10 cashews
  • 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
  • salt (as required)

Method

Preparation

  1. Heat a small skillet or frying pan. Add the spices mentioned under the list 'For the kurma masala' and on a low heat, lightly roast them, stirring often till they are fragrant.
  2. You do not need to brown the spices. Allow these spices to cool.
  3. Then take them in a grinder jar or spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.
  4. In a small bowl whisk or beat fresh full fat curd (yogurt) till smooth. Set aside.
  5. Rinse the potatoes thoroughly in water. Peel and chop them in 1.5 to 2 inches cubes. Also peel, rinse and chop the onions and prep the other ingredients.

Making potato kurma

  1. Heat a pan or 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Keep the heat to a low. Add the whole spices - 2 cloves, 2 green cardamoms and 1 inch cinnamon. Fry till the spices are fragrant.
  2. Next add thinly sliced onions.
  3. Stir and sauté the onions on medium-low or medium heat till they start to become golden or caramelize. Add a pinch of salt to quicken the process of caramelizing.
  4. Now add ginger-garlic paste. Stir and sauté for a few seconds till their raw aroma goes away.
  5. Add peeled and chopped potatoes.
  6. Add the prepared ground kurma masala or spice mix. Stir and sauté for a minute on low heat.
  7. Now add the beaten curd (yogurt). Stir and mix very well.
  8. Add 1 to 1.5 cups water or as needed if using a stovetop pressure cooker. If cooking potatoes in a pot or pan, add water as needed and simmer on gentle heat until potatoes are tender.
  9. Season with salt. Cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium to medium-high heat.
  10. When the pressure drops naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid. Check the potatoes with a fork. The potatoes should be cooked well but still retain their shape.
  11. Keep the pressure cooker on the stove top on a low heat.
  12. Add thick coconut milk and 8 to 10 cashews. Stir and mix very well.
  13. Simmer on a low heat for 8 to 10 minutes till the curry thickens a bit.
  14. Lastly add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.
  15. Mix with the rest of the potato kurma gravy.
  16. Serve aloo kurma hot with poori or chapati. You can also pair potato kurma with idli, dosa, pulao or biryani.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.