Potato Peas Mash – Indian Style

(also known as Aloo Mutter ki Sukhi Subzi)

Aloo mutter(dry) is a very common veggie dish from India. It is the star of the staple aloo-puri breakfast served across most of north & central India. When I was in college, this was my preferred dish to carry on the long train journey to/from home. This is the dry variant of this dish. Here’s how I make it:

Ingredients:

Vegetables:

1. Potatoes – 4 to 5 medium sized.
2. Onions – 2 medium sized (number of onions used should be half or less than half the number of potatoes you are using of similar size)
3. Tomatoes – 2 medium sized(no, no puree or processed tomato of any kind)
4. Green peas – about 200 gms(or a cupful). Use more if you like.
5. Green chillies – 1 to 2 (more if you like a punch)
6. Ginger paste(easier to measure, you can use chunky ginger if you like, just chop it fine)
7. Garlic paste(same as above)
8. Coriander leaves

Spices:

1. Turmeric powder
2. Red chilli powder
3. Coriander(dhania) powder
4. Amchur powder
5. Garam Masala

Prep:

1. Boil the potatoes. Add a teaspoon & half of turmeric powder and half teaspoon of red chilli powder to the water that you are boiling the potatoes in. This will give them a nice yellow colour and put the flavour deep in the potatoes while they are boiling.
2. Once the potatoes are done, peel the skins and cut them into chunks. Retain some of the water left from boiling the potatoes(around 1 cup).
3. Dice onions & green chillies(small pieces).
4. Chop tomatoes coarsely, you don’t want really big chunks, just decent sized pieces.

Cooking:

1. Heat two-three tablespoons of vegetable(or any other oil of your choice) into a deep cooking pot(like a wok, or a karahi).
2. On medium heat, add the green chillies to the hot oil. Wait for a minute to let them fry. The less you fry, the more pungent green chillies will stay, so adjust frying time based on your preference for heat.
3. Add the onions and let them fry. A minute after adding the onions, add 1/2 teaspoon of ginger paste & 1/2 teaspoon of garlic paste. Mix this well and let it continue frying till the onions start to turn golden brown.
4. Add the tomatoes to this mix. Add a teaspoon of salt to the mix. This makes the tomatoes lose water and helps them cook faster.
5. Once you see the tomatoes losing water, add two teaspoons of coriander powder, one teaspoon of turmeric powder and half teaspoon of red chilli powder.
6. Stir this for another couple of minutes till the mixture starts to become greasy and stick to the pan.
7. At this stage, add the cup of water you’ve saved from the boiled potatoes, and add the green peas.
8. Let this mix simmer away till most of the water has evaporated and the peas look done(they look crinkly when done). At this stage, taste the mix. Add more salt or red chilli powder if required.
9. Add the cut potatoes to this mix. Stir well so that they are covered evenly with the spice mix.
10. Add a teaspoon & half of amchur powder and mix well. Let the potatoes soak in all that spice goodness.
11. Stir occasionally. On medium heat, this should take about 8-10 minutes. You will start to see more mash in the mix every time you stir. Don’t worry if you have no mash, this means your potatoes are slightly under-boiled. Just make sure they cook well by poking them with a fork and ensuring it goes thru smoothly.
12. When you feel that the potatoes are cooked, sprinkle a teaspoon and half of garam masala and mix. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
13. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

Notes:

1. No peas, no problem! This works equally well without them.
2. If you’re using frozen peas, leave them in hot water at the start of prep. This will allow them to regain form before you use them.
3. Can be cooked in a shallow pan as well, just have a big enough pan.
4. Avoid using olive oil, it may be fashionable but it ruins the taste. If you know how to cook with mustard oil, prefer that. Otherwise normal cooking oils work well.
5. Amchur can be replaced with a smaller amount of tamarind paste. Be careful though, tamarind paste can be really sour!

Serve with puris, parathas, rotis or any other type of flatbread, and if you have it, a slice of pickle on the side. This is also an excellent filling for sandwiches for kids’ lunch boxes. Try it and let me know if this recipe worked for you.