This Poori Masala is a delicious hotel style recipe to make the potato curry or gravy that is always enjoyed with poori. This dish gets its name Poori Masala or Puri Curry as it is served as a side dish with Poori (Indian fry bread). This South Indian Puri Curry is made with boiled potatoes, lots of onions, spices, lentils and herbs. Make this flavorful and tasty dish for a comforting weekend breakfast.
About Poori Masala
There are many potato based curries made in the vast Indian cuisine. The Poori Masala is a special and unique potato gravy that is mostly served with poori. But the gravy is so good that it also tastes great with Dosa or poha dosa, Rava Dosa or even phulka.
This combination of poori with a potato gravy is very popular all over India. While the poori recipe remains the same, the potato gravy takes on different flavors and tastes.
This recipe is a South Indian variation of North Indian Aloo Puri and its taste is very different than the North Indian variations. As typically ingredients like mustard seeds, lentils, curry leaves etc are not used in the North Indian variants.
The South Indian variants also include plenty of onions while making this dish. Even in the various South Indian states and regions, this dish has some variations. In the state of Maharashtra, it is made again very differently and known as Poori Bhaji.
The dish is one of those curried potato dishes that I sometimes make on Sundays. Not that I make poori every time. I also make phulka or dosa to go along with this dish.
Poori Curry makes for a good breakfast or lunch or brunch. When I took the photos, I had also made Aamras to go along with the poori. This combination of aamras and any potato sabji with pooris is too good.
You can serve the potato gravy with Poori or phulka or with a side of chopped onions or coconut chutney.
How to make Poori Masala
Cook Potatoes
1. First rinse 2 large sized potatoes (about 400 grams) in fresh water a few times. Then Boil or steam the potatoes in a stovetop pressure cooker or steamer or Instant pot.
If pressure cooking, then pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles on medium heat adding enough water covering the potatoes. They should be softened and fork tender.
2. When the potatoes are still warm, peel and crumble them. You can also chop them and keep them aside. You should be able to get 2 cups of tightly packed crumbled potatoes.
Sauté Spices, Onions
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan or kadai or wok. You can use any neutral flavored oil. Lower the heat and add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds. Crackle them.
4. Then add the following ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons chana dal (husked split bengal gram)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon urad dal (husked split black gram) – optional
5. Stir and fry till the lentils become golden. Ensure that the lentils turned golden but should not get burnt. So stir often on a low heat.
6. Then add 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger, 2 to 3 teaspoons chopped green chilies and 10 to 12 curry leaves.
You can reduce the amount of green chilies if you want. The chilies I used were very mild, so I added 2 of them.
7. Then add 8 to 10 cashews, which have been chopped. Feel free to skip cashews if you have nut allergy.
8. Stir and then add 1 cup tightly packed thinly sliced onions (1 large onion, sliced). Instead of onions you can add shallots or pearl onions.
9. Add a pinch of asafoetida (hing) and ⅓ to ½ teaspoon turmeric powder.
To make a gluten-free dish you can skip asafoetida and serve this Poori Curry with dosa or roti or poori made from gluten-free flours or millet flours.
10. Stir and mix very well. Saute the onions on low to medium low heat stirring often till they turn translucent.
11. Now add 2 teaspoons besan or gram flour.
12. Stir and mix the gram flour very well with the rest of the ingredients.
13. Add ¼ cup chopped tomatoes (about 1 small tomato, chopped). Tomatoes give a light tang to the dish.
Adding tomato is optional and you can skip it. Stir and saute the tomatoes for 2 minutes.
Make Poori Masala
14. Then add 1.25 to 1.5 cups water. You can vary the amount of water depending upon the consistency you prefer.
For a thicker consistency add less water and for a slightly thinner gravy consistency add a bit more water.
15. Stir and mix very well.
16. Bring this mixture to a simmer without a lid for about 4 to 5 minutes on low to medium heat.
17. Now add the crumbled or chopped potatoes and stir very well.
18. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the gravy for 4 to 5 minutes on low to medium heat.
The gravy should thicken and have the right consistency that is not too thick nor thin. But according to your preferences, you can vary the consistency.
19. Season with salt as per taste. Mix the salt with the rest of the puri curry. You can also add a bit of sugar if you want.
20. Lastly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves. Stir very well and switch off the heat.
21. Serve South Indian Poori Masala with poori or chapati or dosa or paratha. It makes for a filling and comforting meal for breakfast or lunch.
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.
Poori Masala | Hotel Style Puri Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 potatoes – large sized, 400 grams or 2 cups tightly packed crumbled boiled potatoes
- 1 cup thinly sliced onions – 150 grams or 1 large onion
- ¼ cup chopped tomatoes – 40 to 50 grams or 1 small tomato, optional
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger – or 1 to 1.5 inches ginger
- 2 to 3 teaspoons chopped green chilies 2 to 3 green chilies, reduce the amount of green chilies if you want
- 1 sprig curry leaf or 10 to 12 curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons chana dal (husked split bengal gram)
- 1 teaspoon urad dal (husked split black gram), optional
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ⅓ to ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 8 to 10 cashews – chopped
- 2 teaspoons besan (gram flour)
- 1.25 to 1.5 cups water or add as required
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required, optional
- salt as required
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse the potatoes very well in water Boil or steam them in a pressure cooker or steamer or Instant Pot. If pressure cooking, then pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles on medium heat with water completely covering the potatoes.
- Cook potatoes until they are softened and fork tender. Drain the water and set aside the potatoes to cool.
- When the potatoes are still warm, peel and crumble them. You can also chop them and keep aside.
- Peel, rinse and thinly slice the onions. Also chop the tomatoes, ginger, green chilies and coriander leaves. Rinse and dry the curry leaves in a kitchen towel. Chop the cashews.
Sautéing spices, onions and tomatoes
- Heat in a pan or kadai (wok). Lower the heat and add mustard seeds. Crackle them.
- Then add the chana dal, cumin seeds and urad dal (optional).
- Stir and fry till the dals or lentils become golden ensuring that they do not burn.
- Add finely chopped ginger, chopped green chilies and curry leaves.
- Then add the cashews, which have been chopped.
- Stir and then add the thinly sliced onions.
- Add a pinch of asafoetida and turmeric powder.
- Stir very well and sauté the onions till they become translucent.
- Now add the besan or gram flour. Mix the besan very well with the rest of the ingredients.
- Add chopped tomatoes. Adding tomatoes are optional and you can skip it. Stir and sauté the tomatoes for 2 minutes.
Making Poori Masala
- Then add water. Mix very well.
- Bring this mixture to a simmer. About 4 to 5 minutes on a low to medium heat.
- Now add the crumbled or chopped potatoes and stir very well.
- Cover and simmer the potato gravy for 4 to 5 minutes on a low to medium heat. The gravy should thicken and have a right consistency which is not too thick nor thin.
- Season with salt as per taste. Mix the salt with the rest of the potato gravy. You can also add a bit of sugar if you want.
- Lastly add the chopped coriander leaves. Stir very well and switch off the heat.
- Serve Poori Masala or Puri Curry with poori or chapati or dosa.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Poori Masala recipe post from the archives first published in June 2015 has been republished and updated on 3 October 2021.
Wow its seems to be sooo yummy
thanks.
This is one of the most perfect dish I ever made..that day two of hubby’s friend appeared suddenly and immediately thought of making poori and this for breakfast. As it is quicker than our roti-vaji. I skipped curry leaves as cant tolerate the smell, didn’t have cashews, who cares!!Oooo….one friend said he would go to one indian restaurant and wait from 7 am to eat this same dish for breakfast and if he goes later wud finish. Couldn’t understand how I managed to duplicate. I am supposed to be Bangali…? The only prob was the poori disappeared faster than I could fry. Thank u soo much again , Dassana. I am getting quite addicted to indian cooking. Your layout for the recipes is the culprit-so intresting yet so simply shown. So much love for you.
thanks kimia. the way you have written shows the thankfulness and gratitude you have. thanks a ton 🙂
poori masala is a favorite south indian tiffin breakfast. the friend is right. if the taste is good, the poori masala disappears very fast. next time try adding a few curry leaves. they give a nice aroma. you can just add 3 to 4. you will get the authentic taste. cashews can be given a skip.
Superb. Made potato masala with pooris to day. It was terrific. Thank you.
thanks sethu for the feedback on both the recipes.
Mam its very interesting easy methods of cooking …… good recipes
thankyou so much hemavathi 🙂
Hi I m following u r receips very nice and thank you so much
welcome and thankyou kavya 🙂
Hi Dassana,
I’m going to try this recipe for lunch today. after browsing a few recipes i noticed you have a nice set of measuring spoons, where did you get them from?
i bought these measuring spoons from a local super store here. and thanks.
Hi , I should thank u for easy recipes….got interest in cooking after going through ur recipes..its really easy to make….
welcome gauri. glad to know this.
Hi Dassana
How r u…this might be unrelated but one of my friend is going to USA …can u suggest anything to get from there for me related to baking ingredients which u feel is worth buying there….expecting ur reply
helen, i am fine. i have no idea because most of baking stuff is available in india now. but you can go for good quality cocoa powder, vanilla extract, chocolate bars for baking.
You are just Superbbb…Before marriage I don’t like to go in kitchen.. but now I start cooking..after read your recipes now I am doing this with more an more interest…
thanks reena. nice to know this.
Nice recipe. Just found it while browsing my mobile phone…
Hii..mam I m maharashrtean but my hasbend is South this racepi is very useful for me..his like your all racepis then thanku so much …your racepi and this photos…
welcome priya. glad to know this.
Made this today, very nice easy dish.
thanks for the positive feedback james.
Hi,this is kishore,thank you for all your great work,I frequently follow this site,I have learn so much from this,recently I have tried this Poori masala,I don’t know so far that a gear chef hidden inside me ,that all credit goes to you only,after all thank you by now .
welcome kishore. nice to read your positive feedback. thanks for your kind words.
i like more in recipe is super
Hi dassana,
I tried this recipe today. Since I did not have green chilli , I added red chilli pdr and still It was excellent… Thanx again.
I hav a doubt.. Y is hing added to certain dishes only ?? Which kinda dishes is hing gen added ?? Is there any sp role of hing in enhancing the flavour or anything ??
Thanx in advance…
thanks for sharing the positive feedback kalpana. hing is added to not only give a subtle aroma to the dish but also it helps in digestion. in most potato based gravies or sabzis hing is added. in satvic indian cuisine, hing is used as a substitute for garlic and onions. so you will see that in most no onion no garlic recipes, hing is added. i also add hing in all the dals i make as it helps in digestion and give a nice aroma to the dish. though just add a pinch, otherwise the dish can get ruined with its strong pungent taste and flavor.
Hi dassana,
I tried your every version of potato gravy and they turn awesome. Thankyou for sharing nice and easy recipes.
I have one query regarding vanilla icecream which i tried…i think i come to soft serve after whisking cream for 2 minutes…then also there is ice crystal formation in icecream…i am going wrong somewhere…please help
Thank you
welcome rutba. if there are ice crystals you just whip the ice cream again and freeze it. some times ice crystals do appear in the ice cream. so the tip is to whip the ice cream and freeze it. this whipping of the ice cream can be done twice or thrice to get a softer texture.