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    Home » Recipes » Weeknight Dinners

    Published: August 23, 2020 | Last Modified: February 16, 2021 by Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju | This post may contain affiliate links. 💬 - 15 Comments

    Bombay Potatoes (Jeera Aloo)

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    Indian, cumin-spiced potatoes that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Perfect side dish for hot naan or rice - simple dish that's super filling!
    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    Bombay potatoes are a simple Indian potato dry curry made with potatoes, turmeric, cumin, and red chili powder (a version of jeera aloo). They are crispy, soft on the inside, come together in thirty minutes, and stay fresh in the fridge for up to a week, so they're a great go-to side dish!

    Bowl of Jeera Aloo next to a plate of raw sliced onions and a bowl of yogurt with some cilantro in it

    This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you're in a rush, please use the "Jump to Recipe" link!

    This post might contain affiliate links. If you click on those and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to:
    • 🥔What are Bombay potatoes? Jeera Aloo?
    • 💭 Why you'll love this recipe
    • 📋 Ingredients and tips
    • 👩🏽‍🍳 Bombay potatoes from scratch
    • 🍴 Serving & storage suggestions
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🥔What are Bombay potatoes? Jeera Aloo?

    Bombay potatoes get their name from the UK, if I were being honest. At home, we just call them 'aloo subzi' where subzi typically refers to a saute of vegetables. "Jeera aloo" means cumin-spiced potatoes. My recipe draws inspiration from both of these for a killer dish.

    It uses parboiled potatoes, which are then pan fried for a crispy texture, while still soft and fluffy inside. It's served as a dry curry with a flatbread like naan or roti or you can also eat it with rice, throw it in a taco, or just have it as a side by itself.

    P.S. If you love making Indian food? Don't forget to check out my Indian Pantry 101 and sign up for the Indian Cooking 101 newsletter

    💭 Why you'll love this recipe

    • Perfect, crispy potatoes: Foolproof recipe to get the potatoes super crisp on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside - read more for my secret ingredient!
    • Quick and easy to make: This dish uses simple ingredients and comes together in 30 minutes so it's the perfect side dish for a quick meal!
    • Make-ahead friendly: The dish stays fresh in the fridge for up to a week!

    📋 Ingredients and tips

    You'll need potatoes, turmeric, red chili powder, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, vegetable oil, and a dash of chickpea flour for this recipe (and an optional cilantro garnish).

    Labeled ingredient list for making Jeera Aloo - please refer to recipe card for actual ingredient list and quantities!

    Ingredient notes and tips for Bombay potatoes

    • Use Yukon Gold potatoes if possible (these are called Maris Piper or "baking potatoes" in the UK). These are golden yellow potatoes that are not too waxy, but also hold their shape quite well when cooked.
    • Dredge parboiled potatoes with chickpea flour and spices before I pan fry them. Very lightly! The chickpea flour helps make the potatoes ULTRA crispy when you fry them, and they take on the flavors of the spices rather well.
    • You only need basic spices - turmeric, red chili powder and cumin. Cumin is one of the key ingredients for making jeera aloo but if you don't have cumin seeds, you can also use a dash of cumin powder (detailed notes in the recipe card). You may also choose to add garam masala, or other warm Indian spices as you wish!

    👩🏽‍🍳 Bombay potatoes from scratch

    Start by parboiling the potatoes

    Bring a pot of water to boil. Once it's at a rolling boil, add quartered potatoes to the pot along with a pinch of turmeric and salt. Don't worry about peeling them - the peels will slide right off when you're done.

    The boiling time for potatoes will depend on the type of potato as well as the size of the potato. Baby potatoes take about 10 minutes to parboil while a medium sized Yukon Gold potato that's been quartered will take about 14 minutes or so. These are times from when you drop the potatoes in (which you do when the water is at a rolling boil).

    Pro Tip: Don't boil it like you might for mashed potatoes. Rather, get the insides cooked enough that once you fry them, they won't overcook and disintegrate. Start poking the potato with a fork at 10 minutes, and every minute thereafter. When fork slides right through, your potatoes are ready to be drained. Peel and set aside after draining.

    Peeled, parboiled potatoes to show how turmeric infuses in the potatoes when you add to boiling water

    Get the spice dredge ready

    I typically mix turmeric, red chili powder, and chickpea flour to create a spice mix. I coat my parboiled potatoes in this spice mix, and then add some water to help bind the spices to the potatoes (typically use a 1 teaspoon water per 1 tablespoon chickpea flour ratio).

    Then, I toss them into the skillet for pan frying. The chickpea flour helps crisp up the potatoes beyond my wildest imagination. It also helps the spices adhere to the potatoes better (this is a trick that my mom has used for ages!)

    Three step collage showing the spice mix, and how to dredge the potatoes in the spice mix

    Pan fry the potatoes with spices

    Heat some vegetable oil (don't use olive oil here, it'll burn) in a skillet on medium heat. Once the oil is hot (it'll appear to glisten) add mustard seeds, and once they start to sputter, add cumin seeds. If you are using cumin powder, hold off on this step.

    Spice Toasting - Jeera Aloo

    Once the cumin seeds are toasted, shake the potatoes to get excess slurry off of them, and toss them into the pan (add cumin powder if you're using powder instead of seeds). Give it a good stir to get the spices nicely mixed up and cook untouched for about 3 to 4 minutes.

    Near done potatoes in skillet

    Give it one more stir, and let it cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. When the potatoes start turning golden brown on the outside, you're good to turn off the heat. Serve with fresh chopped cilantro for a delicious side!

    Side view showing crispy potatoes
    Just look at that crispiness - and they stay the same even after you refrigerate and reheat!

    🍴 Serving & storage suggestions

    You can store any leftover potatoes in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 2 days. While you can totally reheat in a microwave before serving, I suggest popping the potatoes back into the pan instead. Give it a quick whirl and then serve. This way, you'll have still crispy potatoes!

    While I love eating these Indian potatoes by themselves, here are three great ways to eat Bombay potatoes:

    1. Serve as a side dish. Replace your potato salad with these warmly spiced potatoes, and you have a hit on your hands. Goes great with most mains (whether that's a robust meat dish or a grilled vegetable)
    2. Use as taco filling. This potato curry is crispy, soft, and super filling (no puns intended!) So it makes for a great vegan taco filling. Add some red onions, maybe some cilantro-mayo and you're all set. Or if you want to take it up a notch, make amazing vegan tacos by adding these potatoes to my gochujang cauliflower tacos
    3. Eat with naan or rice. This is really the traditional way to eat these potatoes. While most curries are "wet" these crispy potatoes hold their own with most flatbreads! Check out my foolproof homemade naan recipe for the fluffiest, pillowy naan bread you can make at home. Or, try this jeera rice for another perfect pairing!
    Plate of Jeera Aloo with Homemade Naan, spicy relish and onions on the side
    Don't you want to just dig right in?!

    Want other Indian dishes? Check these out:

    • Simple Indian Dal Tadka
    • Quick Jeera Rice (Indian Cumin Rice)
    • Mumbai Pav Bhaji
    • Vegetable Korma (Veg Kurma)

    If you try this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a star rating. Don't forget to tag #urbanfarmie on Instagram or @urbanfarmie on Pinterest!

    📖 Recipe

    Bowl of finished Jeera Aloo
    Print Recipe
    5 from 10 votes

    Bombay Potatoes (Jeera Aloo)

    Indian, cumin-spiced potatoes that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Perfect side dish for hot naan or rice - simple dish that's super filling!
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Indian
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 230kcal
    Author: Shruthi Baskaran

    Ingredients

    Jeera Aloo Spice Mix

    • 2 teaspoon turmeric powder, divided
    • 1.5 teaspoon red chili powder, I use Kashmiri chili powder, which is potent; adjust to taste!
    • 4 tablespoon chickpea flour
    • 2 teaspoon salt
    • 4 teaspoon water, to form slurry with chickpea flour

    Jeera Aloo Subzi (Dry Curry)

    • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, you can add extra if you like
    • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, skip if unavailable
    • 1.5 teaspoon cumin seeds, can substitute with cumin powder - check recipe notes
    • 6 potatoes, medium, Yukon Gold
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    Parboil the potatoes

    • Bring a pot of water to boil along with 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder. Quarter the potatoes (no need to peel) and drop them into the water once you start to see bubbles appear in the water. Boil for about 10-15 minutes
      Note: At the 10 minute mark, take a fork and poke your potatoes. If the fork goes through cleanly, you're good to go. If they don't, let them cook a bit more, checking every minute using the same technique. You don't want to over boil them.

    Prep Spice Mix

    • In a medium sized bowl (that can hold all the potatoes) add the chickpea flour, remaining turmeric, salt, and red chili powder and give it a good whisk.

    Make Jeera Aloo (aka Bombay Potatoes)

    • Once the potatoes are done boiling, remove from heat using a colander or slotted spoon. Rinse the potatoes under cold water to stop them from further cooking and peel the potatoes (the peels should come right off)
    • Drop the peeled potatoes into the bowl with the spice mix and give it a good toss to coat them evenly. Now, add about 4 teaspoons of water to make sure the spices stick to the potatoes. Don't add too much water!
    • In a skillet, heat vegetable oil on medium heat.
    • Once the oil starts to glisten, add mustard seeds. Then, once the mustard seeds starts sputtering, add cumin seeds. Toast for about 20 seconds taking care not to burn the seeds.
      Note: You can skip the mustard seeds if you don't have them, and add the cumin seeds straight to the oil. If you plan to use cumin powder, skip this step entirely and add the cumin powder after you add the potatoes.
    • Toss the potatoes into the skillet, taking care not to overcrowd them. Give them a good stir and let them cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Then give them one more good stir and let them cook another 3 to 4 minutes. Your potatoes should be golden brown by this time. If not, give it a few more minutes until they are.
    • Once they are golden brown, turn the heat off, garnish with some curry leaves (note: these are not bay leaves!) or cilantro if you wish, and serve hot with naan, rice or any other main dish of choice.

    Notes

    • Using the chickpea flour makes the potatoes ultra crispy. If you don't have that on hand, you can just toss the potatoes in the spices and drop them in the oil. You might need to watch the potatoes as they cook to make sure they're crispy the way you want it (and it might take a bit more time!) 
    • Adjust the spice to your taste levels. In my household, we use Kashmiri red chili powder when I need heat - this is quite potent. If you want milder flavors but still a kick, you can use paprika instead.  

    Nutrition

    Serving: 100g | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 804mg | Potassium: 980mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag @urbanfarmie or #urbanfarmie to let me know – I would LOVE to see your creations!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Bhawana

      August 23, 2020 at 8:06 pm

      5 stars
      Bombay potatoes look so tempting with their crispy texture. Loved the addition of chickpea flour.

      Reply
    2. Naila Foister

      September 27, 2020 at 9:33 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is super easy to follow and I love the simplicity of the spice mixture. They turned out fabulous and this will definitely be a staple in our house moving forward. If you dont typically cook with salt (we dont normally) - I'd cut the salt in half. We didn't have mustard seeds so I skipped that but honestly the flavor is incredible even without them. Another great recipe from Urban Farmie 🙂

      Reply
      • Shruthi

        September 27, 2020 at 10:07 pm

        Thanks so much, Naila! Totally hear you on the salt, and so glad that it turned out awesome even without mustard seeds 🙂

        Reply
    3. Sonal

      September 28, 2020 at 3:23 pm

      5 stars
      So simple and so yummy - love this crispy version of the homely jeera aloo💯💯

      Reply
    4. Yvonne O'Brien

      November 12, 2020 at 4:03 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious and so easy! Thank you

      Reply
    5. Elaine

      January 19, 2021 at 3:42 am

      5 stars
      My husband and I really liked this! I needed to use up some potatoes and to have something more to serve alongside leftover Baingan Bharta I'd made a few days earlier. I'd used up all the hot chili powder I'd bought on a trip to India so substituted Vindaloo curry seasoning, otherwise followed the recipe exactly. The potatoes browned perfectly with the chickpea flour and were so wonderfully crispy! Delicious. Have a feeling this will become a go-to recipe for us 🙂

      Reply
      • Shruthi Baskaran

        January 19, 2021 at 6:57 pm

        I'm so glad you loved the recipe and what a great idea to use Vindaloo seasoning! Thanks so much!!

        Reply
    6. Paul Mcelhoney

      March 11, 2021 at 10:53 pm

      5 stars
      Very impressed with the simplicity of this recipe, and the results were superb. Thank you

      Reply
      • Shruthi Baskaran

        March 12, 2021 at 3:13 am

        Thank you so much Paul! Glad you liked it!!

        Reply
        • Blake

          November 20, 2021 at 6:32 pm

          This was amazingly simple and flavorful! Wish I had used a nonstick skillet. Otherwise a fantastic meal for the rotation!

          Reply
          • Shruthi Baskaran

            November 21, 2021 at 6:29 pm

            Thank you so much Blake - yes, non-stick or a well-seasoned cast iron will give you maximum crispiness without sticking! Thank you so much.

            Reply
    7. Annissa B.

      April 26, 2021 at 2:22 am

      5 stars
      I found your recipe when looking for a Bombay Aloo recipe because I was craving that dish after having it at a semi-local Indian restaurant. Forgive me for having to change it around a little bit, but I was just cooking for me this evening (as the family had already grabbed something on the run) and I had to work with what I had and was "hangry" LOL I substituted dry mustard powder for the seeds, chili oil for the chili pepper and rice flour for the chickpea flour since that's what I had. I also sliced the potato in thin slices vs boiling first for a quick prep/cooking time. I had everything else in the recipe and cooked them in a skillet. Once they were close to done, I sprinkled cilantro over them. They were delicious and satisfied the craving! I look forward to when I have time to do the traditional version! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Shruthi Baskaran

        April 27, 2021 at 5:39 pm

        Love the modifications! I think all of these are great substitutes, so thanks for taking the time to share back! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Sara

      January 10, 2022 at 10:51 pm

      5 stars
      This may be a silly question, but do you cut the potatoes after you peel them. I don't see that in the instructions unless I missed this.

      Reply
      • Shruthi Baskaran

        January 13, 2022 at 1:06 am

        Hi Sara - no worries! I usually quarter the potatoes before I boil them (you can see this in Step 1) - so I don't cut them after I peel them! But depending on how big your potatoes are, you totally can (or use baby potatoes, but those can be annoying to peel!) Hope this helps.

        Reply

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    Shruthi Baskaran - Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, and Blogger at Urban Farmie

    I am Shruthi, the recipe developer, photographer and blogger behind Urban Farmie. I have two graduate degrees from Stanford, one focused on food systems. And I hope to bring you everything you need for healthy-ish, comforting, nourishing vegetarian cooking.

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