Potato and Pea Curry (Aloo Matar) Recipe

A curry perfect for the winter months, when root vegetables are in abundance.

By
Nick Kindelsperger
Nick Kindelsperger is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Nick Kindelsperger
Nick Kindelsperger is a food critic at the Chicago Tribune.  His food writing appears in The Washington Post, Newsweek, Epicurious, Baltimore Sun, Serious Eats, Grub Street, New York Magazine, and Tasting Table, among others.
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Updated May 09, 2019
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Aloo Matar, an Indian curry featuring a mixture of potatoes and peas, is comforting, filling, and vegetarian. The recipe calls for whole spices, dry roasted in a skillet, then cooked in oil. That way, every ingredient that touches the skillet becomes infused with the fragrant mix of cinnamon, clove, and cardamom. Eat the warming curry on its own, or with a bowl of steaming rice.

Recipe Details

Potato and Pea Curry (Aloo Matar) Recipe

Active 45 mins
Total 60 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 large tomato, or about 3 canned plum tomatoes, chopped

  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled

  • 1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled

  • 1-inch piece cinnamon

  • 2 cloves

  • 2 green cardamom pods

  • 3 tablespoons canola oil

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

  • 1/2 medium onion, ends trimmed, cut into thin half moons

  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 2 teaspoons turmeric

  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala

  • 3 cups frozen peas

  • 2 tablespoons cream

  • Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions

  1. In a blender, combine the tomato, garlic, and ginger. Puree until smooth. Set aside.

  2. In a large cast-iron skillet set over medium heat, add the cinnamon, clove, and cardamom. Dry roast, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about one minute. Pour in the canola oil, and add in the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds start to sizzle, add the onions. Stir well until the onions are evenly coated with the fragrant oil. Turn the heat to medium-high, and cook until the onions are just starting to brown, two to four minutes. Stir occasionally.

  3. Add the cubed potatoes, and cook, stirring often, for three minutes. Pour in the contents of the blender, and stir until incorporated. Then add the salt, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and 1/4 cup of water. Stir until everything is combined, and then reduce heat to medium. Cook at a steady simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are starting to become tender, and the oil starts to separate from the sauce, about 12 minutes. You may need to turn the heat down to low to keep it from boiling.

  4. Pour in two more cups of water and the peas. Maintain a simmer until the potatoes are completely cooked, about 10 minutes. Ad the cream and garam masala, and simmer gently for an additional two minutes. Season to taste with more salt, if necessary. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Special equipment

Blender, cast iron skillet

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
271Calories
7gFat
44gCarbs
10gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories271
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g9%
Saturated Fat 2g11%
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 370mg16%
Total Carbohydrate 44g16%
Dietary Fiber 9g34%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 35mg176%
Calcium 83mg6%
Iron 5mg26%
Potassium 924mg20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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