Isn’t it mind boggling to know, that a single vegetable (technically a tuber) can be turned into endless culinary creations! Yes, that’s the humble yet extremely popular and staple potato (aloo) for you. In this recipe of Aloo Rasedar, a special from the food rich state of Uttar Pradesh, potatoes are cooked in a perfectly spiced, warm, tasty and comforting gravy.
About Aloo Rasedar
How many times you get to eat or try a dish which is simple at its core, made with no onion, no garlic and still is able to strike the right chord when hunger strikes? I mean a lot of people have this misconception about Indian food being ONLY spicy and fatty.
But if you delve deep into it, you’ll find that most of our everyday dishes are an answer to this question. Not to forget, Indian food is balanced, delicious, nutritious and a lot many positives, if done the right way. Period.
So is this Aloo Rasedar. Imagine when it came to existence in the cuisine of Uttar Pradesh (UP), they wouldn’t even realise that it will naturally be a vegan dish.
No fancy and expensive ingredients, still hardcore plant-based. This is what the beauty of most of traditional Indian cuisine is.
To put it simply about this specific preparation, the Hindi words for ‘potato’ and a slightly thin ‘gravy/curry’ are ‘aloo’ and ‘rasa/rasedar’ respectively.
So, when put together, it becomes the name of this dish. Sometimes, rasedar may also be spelt as ‘rassedar’ or ‘rassedaar.’ Please know that there’s no difference there at all.
My easy-peasy recipe of Aloo Rasedar is made with tomatoes, ginger, spices and obviously aloo. Also, repeating again, no traces of onion or garlic. Once you’re done with boiling or steaming the potatoes, making the gravy is quite simple.
This Aloo Rasedar is quite adaptable. You can vary the spice levels as per your likings. The spices used in this gravy merge really well with the tomatoes and enhance the flavors. Since tomatoes bring in the tang element, you can alter that as well or make it a completely tomato less gravy too.
You can even make this dish with baby potatoes. Also, add some green peas to the curry and turn it into an Matar Aloo Rasedar.
This preparation is quite apt for Hindu fasting/vrat days as well. So, use edible rock salt or sendha namak when making for fasts or vrats.
As already mentioned, it makes for an ideal filling breakfast, brunch, lunch or even dinner. At home, a typical combination is this Aloo Rasedar, poori and the Punjabi style Gobi Gajar Shalgam Achar or Aam Ka Achar.
The most ultimate way of relishing the Aloo Rasedar as a street food in UP (it’s common at railway stations too!) would be to have it steaming hot with bedmi poori or Kachori.
It is also a classic breakfast combination popular amidst all there. While a more comforting way of serving it would be to relish it with hot phulka, chapati or even regular Poori.
Just like any other Indian dish that will have many variations, you will also find plenty of curry variants made with the humble potato.
Some variants that I have shared are Mathura Ke Dubki Wale Aloo, South Indian Poori Masala, Maharashtrian Batata Bhaji and my regular everyday Potato Curry.
Simple to very fancy potato-based curries (dry or runny) are super prevalent across India. You go anywhere, you’ll get a unique recipe and the way it is served.
I have also seen aloo sabzi or Aloo Rasedar and poori being served in dhaba (roadside eateries) on highways, especially all-over North India. There are thousands of variations, if not less, with each having a distinct taste and texture.
How to make Aloo Rasedar
Preparation
1. Before you begin boil 4 medium-sized rinsed potatoes (300 grams) with 2 to 2.5 cups of water in a 3 litre pressure cooker for 3 to 4 whistles on medium heat.
When the pressure drops on its own, then only remove the lid. Carefully, remove the potatoes with the help of tongs and place them on a plate to become warm at room temperature.
When the potatoes become warm or cool, peel and crumble them. Set the crumbled potatoes aside. You can opt to chop potatoes instead after peeling them.
Set aside all the spice powders you will need. Keep these ready as you don’t want to search them when you begin the cooking.
Peel and finely chop 1 inch ginger. Also finely chop 1 medium to large tomato.
2. Next heat 1 tablespoon oil (or ghee if you prefer) in a pan. Keep heat to the lowest and add all the below listed spice powders:
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon fennel powder
- ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
3. Stir to mix.
4. Add 1 inch finely chopped ginger (about 1.5 teaspoons finely chopped) and sauté for half a minute on low heat.
5. Add ¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes (1 medium to large tomato) and stir.
6. Sauté the tomatoes on medium-low heat till they soften and you see oil releasing from the sides of the pan. Stir often while sautéing tomatoes.
7. Add the crumbled potatoes and stir well. Sauté for a minute.
Make Aloo Rasedar
8. Add 1 to 1.5 cups water and mix again. You can adjust the consistency by adding less or more water.
9. Season with salt as required.
10. Then, add 1 teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur powder).
If you do not have dry mango powder, add ½ teaspoon lemon juice or as needed after the cooking the curry is complete.
11. Stir and mix well. Simmer the potato gravy for 10 to 12 minutes. To thicken the gravy slightly, you can also mash a few potatoes with the back of a spoon.
You can keep the consistency you prefer. Generally, Aloo Rasedar is slightly thin. For a slight thicker consistency, simmer for some more minutes.
12. Lastly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder.
13. Stir well to mix.
14. Serve Aloo Rasedar with poori, roti or paratha. You can also garnish with some chopped coriander leaves while serving.
More Potato Gravy Recipes To Try!
Indian Curry Recipes
Palak Recipes (Spinach Recipes)
Potato Recipes
Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.
Aloo Rasedar
Ingredients
- 4 potatoes (medium-sized) – 300 grams potatoes
- 1 tomato (medium to large) – about ¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes
- 1 inch ginger finely chopped or 1.5 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon fennel powder – if you don't have ground fennel seeds then lightly roast 1 teaspoon fennel seeds in a small frying pan till fragrant and then coarsely powder in a mortar-pestle
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur)
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- 1 to 1.5 cups water or add as required
- 1 tablespoon oil – can also add ghee
- salt as required
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
Instructions
Boiling potatoes
- Boil the potatoes till they are very well cooked and can be easily crumbled. You can steam or boil the potatoes in a pan on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot or in a stovetop pressure cooker.
- For cooking in a stovetop pressure cooker, add rinsed potatoes and 2 to 2.5 cups of water in a 3 litre pressure cooker.
- Pressure cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 whistles. When the pressure drops on its own, then only remove the lid.
- Carefully, remove the potatoes with the help of tongs and place them on a plate to become warm at room temperature.
- When the potatoes become warm or cool, peel and crumble them. Set aside. You can also chop the boiled potatoes if you like after peeling them.
Making aloo rasedar
- Heat oil. On the lowest heat add all these spice powders – coriander powder, cumin powder, fennel powder, asafoetida, fenugreek seeds, red chili powder, turmeric powder.
- Stir to mix taking care that the spices do not burn.
- Add finely chopped ginger and sauté for a half a minute on low heat.
- Add chopped tomatoes and stir.
- On medium-low heat sauté the tomatoes till they soften and you see oil releasing from the sides.
- Add the boiled and crumbled potatoes and mix well. Sauté for a minute.
- Add water and stir again. You can adjust the consistency as you want by adding less or more water.
- Add salt as required and dry mango powder.
- Stir and mix well. Bring the potato gravy to a simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. To thicken the gravy slightly, you can also mash a few potatoes with the back of a spoon.
- Lastly add chopped coriander leaves and garam masala powder.
- Stir and serve Aloo Rasedar gravy with roti or paratha or poori. You can also garnish with a bit of chopped coriander leaves and then serve.
Notes
- For a spicer version of the recipe, add some green chillies and you can also increase the red chilli powder.
- If you do not have dry mango powder, add about ½ teaspoon lemon juice or as needed after cooking the gravy is complete.
- By adding less or more water you can get a medium to slightly thin consistency in the gravy according to your preferences.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Aloo Rasedar recipe post from the archives first published in December 2014 has been republished and updated on 21 July 2022.
