There are often some dishes, especially in Indian cuisine, which you think can’t be recreated the same way as you would get at a restaurant, hotel or any eatery outside. To this, I’d say nothing is impossible! Yes, with this Potato Kurma recipe, you will be able to make this particular variety of gravy similar to a restaurant style. Follow the recipe of Aloo Kurma thoroughly, and at the end, you’ll have a rich, flavorful dish at home, but with the feel of a restaurant.
About Potato Kurma
This is an amazing recipe of Potato Kurma from my cooking school notes. I have been making this curry at home too, for quite some time now. The flavors just get better, every single time.
You can use the same recipe to make different korma with paneer (Indian cottage cheese), mixed veggies or tofu. In the case of paneer or tofu, pan fry them lightly in oil and add to the prepared kurma gravy.
A potato curry is a must at home on weekends. With this, there’s either poori, chapati or sometime even dosa. So, whenever I have some time at hand and also feeling a little fancy, I jazz up the potato curry into varieties. This Aloo Kurma is one of those.
Just like any other Indian household, I must say that potato is quite a staple with me and my family as well. We never really get bored of it. It comes very handy whenever you’re short of other vegetables at home. Since the main ingredient in this Aloo Kurma are potatoes, this dish is popular with my folks too.
The first look of this deep orangish, red colored Aloo Kurma will make you feel that it is high on the spice meter. But it actually isn’t, as I use the byadagi red chilies which just impart their hue to the curry without making it spicy. You can use another chili variety. In that case, reduce the number.
This comforting as well as restaurant style Potato Kurma hits on another level when paired with Pulao or Biryani. Other than these, your usual choices are Roti-Chapati-Phulka, Poori, Malabar Parotta or even other Paratha, Rava Idli and Dosa.
How to make Potato Kurma
Preparation
1. Firstly, we need to roast some spices and grind them to make the kurma masala. The spices are listed below:
- 7 to 8 dried Kashmiri chilies or byadagi chilies (halved and seeds removed)
- 1.5 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
If using any other variety, then use chilies which are less spicy. And if you have spicier variety of red chillies then reduce their numbers. Also omit poppy seeds if you do not have them.
2. Heat a small skillet or frying pan. Add the spices and on a low heat, lightly roast them till fragrant stirring often. No need to brown them. Allow these spices to cool.
3. Then, take the roasted spices in a grinder jar or spice grinder.
4. Grind to a fine powder. Set the kurma masala aside.
5. In a small bowl, whisk or beat 4 tablespoons fresh full fat curd (yogurt) till smooth. Keep aside.
I always add curd in this recipe. For a vegan version, you can skip it or use a plant-based yogurt.
Sauté Aromatics and Potatoes
6. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Add 2 cloves, 2 green cardamoms and 1 inch cinnamon. Sauté on low heat till the spices are fragrant.
7. Now, add ½ cup thinly sliced onions.
8. Stir and sauté the onions till they start to become golden or caramelize. Add a pinch of salt to quicken the process of caramelizing.
9. Now, add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste. Stir and sauté for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
10. Add 1.5 to 1.75 cups of chopped potatoes. Peel and chop the potatoes in 1.5 to 2 inches cubes and keep them ready.
11. Add the prepared ground kurma masala or spice mix.
12. Stir and sauté for a minute on low heat.
13. Now, add the beaten curd (yogurt) on low heat.
14. Stir and mix very well.
Make Potato Kurma
15. Add 1 to 1.5 cups water. You can also process steps 6 to 15 in a pan or pot. Just add water as required when cooking the potatoes in a pan.
16. Season with salt. Cover and pressure cook on medium to medium-high heat for 2 whistles.
17. Open the cooker lid when the pressure settles down naturally. The potatoes should be cooked well, but still retain their shape. Now, keep the pressure cooker on the stovetop on low heat.
18. Add ¾ cup thick coconut milk (made fresh) or use canned coconut milk.
If you do not have coconut milk, then grind or blend ⅓ cup tightly packed fresh grated coconut together with the roasted spices to a smooth paste.
In this case, you will need to add the coconut paste at step 11. No need to roast the coconut.
You can also use ⅓ cup desiccated coconut instead of fresh coconut. If you add fresh or desiccated coconut, then you will need to add water accordingly.
19. Add 8 to 10 cashews.
20. Stir and mix very well.
21. Simmer on low heat for 8 to 10 minutes or till the kurma curry thickens a bit.
22. Lastly, add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Give it a good mix.
23. Serve Aloo Kurma hot with roti, poori, rava idli or dosa. It also goes very well as a side dish with veg pulao, veg biryani, jeera rice, saffron rice or masala rice.
Expert Tips
- While roasting the spices for the kurma masala, make sure you just roast them till fragrant and not really brown them.
- To quicken the process of caramelization of onions, add a pinch of salt while sautéing them.
- If you are using a spicy version of chilies, reduce the amount.
- Cook the potatoes well. But make sure they hold shape and not turn mushy.
- If you do not have coconut milk, grind about ⅓ cup grated fresh coconut or desiccated coconut with roasted whole spices and some water to a smooth paste. Then, use it accordingly.
- To veganize the recipe, skip adding the curd (yogurt) or use a plant based yogurt. Note that the taste and flavor will change with the type of plant based yogurt you use.
You could opt to add about ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes if not including yogurt in the recipe. Simply sauté the tomatoes after sautéing ginger-garlic paste until they soften.
Next add potatoes, kurma masala and sauté for 1 minute. Then follow the recipe instructions as listed above in the step-by-step photo guide or as below in the recipe card.
More Potato Gravy Recipes!
Potato Recipes
Indian Curry Recipes
Vegetable Recipes
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Potato Kurma | Aloo Kurma (Hotel Style Recipe)
Ingredients
For the kurma masala
- 7 to 8 dry kashmiri chilies or byadagi chilies, halved and seeds removed. if using any other variety than use chilies which are less spicy
- 1.5 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds (khus khus)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
Main ingredients
- 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
Instructions
Preparation
- 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.
- You do not need to brown the spices. Allow these spices to cool.
- Then take them in a grinder jar or spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk or beat fresh full fat curd (yogurt) till smooth. Set aside.
- 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
- 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.
- Next add thinly sliced onions.
- 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.
- Now add ginger-garlic paste. Stir and sauté for a few seconds till their raw aroma goes away.
- Add peeled and chopped potatoes.
- Add the prepared ground kurma masala or spice mix. Stir and sauté for a minute on low heat.
- Now add the beaten curd (yogurt). Stir and mix very well.
- 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.
- Season with salt. Cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium to medium-high heat.
- 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.
- Keep the pressure cooker on the stove top on a low heat.
- Add thick coconut milk and 8 to 10 cashews. Stir and mix very well.
- Simmer on a low heat for 8 to 10 minutes till the curry thickens a bit.
- Lastly add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.
- Mix with the rest of the potato kurma gravy.
- Serve aloo kurma hot with poori or chapati. You can also pair potato kurma with idli, dosa, pulao or biryani.
Notes
- Coconut milk: Instead of coconut milk use grated coconut or desiccated coconut. Grind ⅓ cup tightly packed grated fresh coconut or ⅓ cup desiccated coconut with the roasted whole spices with some water to a smooth paste. Then add this coconut spice paste at step 8.
- Potato: Most varieties of potato work well in this recipe. You can also use new potatoes.
- Poppy seeds: Omit adding poppy seeds if they are not available to you. The taste will slightly vary in the kurma gravy.
- Red Chillies: For a nice orange or red color gravy, use kashmiri red chillies or byadagi chillies. If using a spicier variety of dry red chillies then reduce the amount.
- Consistency: Add less or more water to the kurma gravy depending on the consistency you prefer. But do not make thin or runny consistency.
- Vegan option: Make the potato kurma with plant based yogurt or skip adding the yogurt. The taste and flavor will differ with the type of plant based yogurt added to the gravy. You can also opt to add ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes if skipping yogurt. Sauté the tomatoes after sautéing ginger-garlic paste until they turn mushy and soften.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Potato Kurma recipe post from the archives first published in June 2015 has been republished and updated on 17 July 2022.
Thank you for this delicious recipe and all others on your site. You are my go-to for vegetarian dishes when I want to cook a particular dish or vegetable differently! I trust no other 🙂
By the way I also added a teaspoon of fennel seeds to the roasted masala ingredients. Added to the aroma and digestion. Thanks again.
welcome jessica and thank you for the trust. sure, fennel seeds can be added. i also add them in some kurma recipe. they give a nice flavor and taste too. thanks again.
Yogurt seemed to seperate? Taste was amazing and will def make again. But .mine has tiny bits of yogurt on top of sauce. I used almond yogurt. Please help. Thank you!
firstly whip or beat the almond yogurt very well before adding to the kurma gravy. since you have used almond yogurt, i suggest to add it once the kurma is done. after adding the almond yogurt, simmer for a minute on a low flame. then switch off the burner. hope this helps.
Please put in recipe for idiyappam veg kurma (South Indian style)… I tried aloo matar dish from your recipe and it was awesome….. Your website is really helpful….
thank you. i have already shared south indian veg kurma and idiappam recipe. you can search them with their names using the search bar or search icon.
Hi. .today I hv made it aloo korma And kaddu Ki sabzi with roti at dinner….nd it was superhit at my home..even my father in law liked the dishes a lot especially kaddu Ki sabzi,as it was his favorite sabzi….he was asking me about its receipe And I was feeling on top of my heaven. …..thanx for ur awesome dishes. …
Thats great to know vatsala. Thanks for sharing your experience.
awesome recipe, sooo…yummy and plzzzz share the recipe of garlic bread stick
thanks smita
Can I skip grated coconut as I don’t have them
grated coconut is not added in the recipe, but coconut milk. coconut is essential in the recipe. if you have desiccated coconut, then add it. grind ⅓ cup desiccated coconut with the roasted whole spices with some water to a smooth paste. then add this coconut spice paste at step 11.
hi dassana, tried this recipe .. taste very nice and goes very well with pooris….
regards n tk care
marina
thanks marina for sharing positive feedback
Awsum Recipi. … super delicious ….its raining here in gujrat …and alloo korma with poori has made our day wonderful…Thanks for this delicious treat. ..
thanks meeti. its raining here too and that too heavily 🙂
Hi dassana,
All the recipes tried from here gave me very tasty food.ur way of describing the recipe seems so perfect and when I read a andhra recipe u seem to be from that place,when I read a north Indian recipe I feel u r a north Indian..I don’t know how you could do this magic.your recipes are in a very authentic way..congrats n all the best.
What do you use for grinding spices?does it grind small quantities also?
Thank you
thanks sits for this encouraging feedback. i am from mumbai and growing up there exposed me to various cuisines. plus my home science training also helped me. i have a preethi mixer-grinder that i use for grinding spices. there is a small jar also with it and that i use for grinding small amount of spices.
Thank you dassana.
welcome lavanya
It turned out to be super delicious i felt like i was eating at restaurant…hats offf too u for adding such a wonderful recipe…im glad i found khuskhus this adds wonderful flavor to the dish..thnx again
welcome riya. glad to know this.
It tastes good
Your delicious recipes have taught me a lot about cooking. Thanks a lot and God bless you for sharing your knowledge on the net.
welcome rahul. nice to know this. thanks for sharing your positive feedback and for your prayers.
Very well explained from of recipes
thanks sujyot
Hi. I came across your blog when I was searching for an eggless cake recipe during Christmas. Since then this is the only blog I see for any veg recipes. I’m seriously not exaggerating. Thanks so much for all the effort you put in to this. Please keep up the excellent work. Thanks again and God bless.
welcome nithya. glad to know this. thanks for sharing positive review and for your prayers.
This recipe looks tempting! i want to know whether i could skip on poppy seeds as i dont have them
in this recipe, poppy seeds are an essential ingredient riya. if you skip, then i suggest adding 2 tsp melon seeds (magaz) or 2 tsp roasted chana dal. if you don’t have either then add 7 to 8 almonds.