Spicy Aloo Curry Recipe

When you are seeking flavorful food, you might be drawn to the traditional dishes of India because nothing quite beats its comforting allure. One dish in particular combines the comfort of potatoes with the complexity of India's spices. Aloo curry is an aromatic dish that showcases the humble potato simmered in a rich and flavorful curry sauce. 

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "I'm a huge fan of Indian cuisine and always have the spices needed to whip up a recipe stocked in my spice cabinet. This recipe comes together quickly and can be a comforting side dish with any number of meals. It's a cross between a soup and a stew, and it holds up well if made ahead." With only a few core ingredients plus spices, you can make this fabulous recipe at a moment's notice and fill your kitchen with an amazing spicy aroma.

To make this recipe, we'll start by picking up three large potatoes, an onion, garlic, and a hot chile pepper. "You can use any type of chile pepper for this recipe depending on how spicy you want the dish to be. Sometimes a scotch bonnet pepper is used in this recipe, but be warned, that's one hot pepper. I typically use a jalapeño or a serrano because that's plenty of spiciness, and they are easy to find," Hahn explains. While you're in the produce aisle, you may want to grab some cilantro for topping your finished dish. We'll also need some oil, vegetable broth, and a handful of spices — cumin seed, curry powder, salt, pepper, and turmeric.

To get our vegetables ready, start by peeling the potatoes and then dicing them into about ½-inch pieces. Then go ahead and dice the onion, garlic, and chile pepper. "I always remove the seeds in whatever chile pepper I'm using because those add extra heat, and I also don't want seeds floating around in the finished recipe," Hahn shares.

As with any good curry, we're going to toast our cumin seeds and get the aromatics going. Drop the oil into a large pot and bring the heat to medium-high. Once hot add the cumin seeds and stir for 2 minutes while they toast and become fragrant. Then add the onion, garlic, and chile pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. "You might need to add a little broth to the pan if it starts to get dry," Hahn shares.

Now that the initial sauté is done, we can add the rest of the ingredients. Add the potatoes, curry powder, salt, pepper, and turmeric. Give the potatoes a good stir to distribute the spices and give them a nice, deep color. Pour in the broth and lower the heat to medium. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes or so or until the potatoes are tender. "The final cook time will really depend on how big your potatoes are chopped, so start checking them at 20 minutes. We want them to be nice and tender but not mushy," Hahn explains. 

You can serve the spicy aloo curry with a fresh salad, rice, or bread (naan or roti in particular). Leftovers will last up to 5 days in a sealed container in the fridge. We happen to think this dish is even better as leftovers, as this allows the potatoes more time to soak up those warm spices.