Boil Aloo Recipe
Bonny Battaglino
I often make Jeera aloo for the office & school lunch box as there is no preparation work involved for this recipe. Like most other kids, mine too love potatoes. They enjoy this just with any thing, rice or roti as a side.
Sometimes I also use it as a filling in the Kathi rolls and sandwiches along with some julienned veggies. This is a dry dish, so it is good to serve along with a gravy, dal or atleast a raita.
My recipe will give you jeera aloo that is super flavorful and not at all bland. It has a punch of flavors from whole cumin seeds, ground cumin, ginger, red chilli powder, coriander powder and kasuri methi.
Jeera aloo is served in most Indian restaurants in an North Indian thali (meal). There are a few different ways it is made. Some people make it just by sauting the aloo with jeera, green chilies & ginger.
1. Wash potatoes thoroughly. Boil them just until cooked and not mushy. You can boil them in a pot, stovetop pressure cooker or an instant pot. You can also cube the potatoes first and add them to a steam basket. Steam them in pressure cooker or in a pot. The potatoes must hold shape and not become mushy.
Boiling potatoes in pot: Here I cooked them directly in a pot by covering the potatoes with just enough water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and reduce the flame to medium heat. Cover and cook them until fork tender but not mushy.
Boiling in pressure cooker: Pour 1 cup water to your stovetop pressure cooker or instant pot. Place the potatoes and cook them for 3 to 4 whistles depending on the size of the potatoes. If doing it in a IP, press the pressure cook button and set the timer to 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the size. For the largest russet potatoes, cook them for 10 minutes.
4. Add 1 chopped green chili and 1 tablespoon fine chopped ginger. If you have kids at home, skip the chili. Ginger is also optional but adds flavor. You can also add ginger garlic paste if you do not have ginger.
Tip: To make cumin powder, I roasted the cumin seeds on a low flame until aromatic. Cooled completely and then powdered. I usually make a lot of cumin powder and store it in a glass jar. I do the same to make the coriander powder as well.
I make so many variations to this recipe. Kids need fancy & new varieties every time for their meal. So I sometimes add in some green peas, cubed capsicum, sometimes a handful of methi leaves or palak (spinach).
Thanks Swasthi. This was another fantastic recipe! Followed it exactly as written and it came out perfect. Rather untraditional, but I served the aloo as a side with Tandoori lamb chops, green salad and Raita. It was a fantastic meal!
Hello Swasthi. Cooked the jeera aloo last night. Very tasty with dal and rice. You mentioned adding mushrooms. I also thought some peas. What sort of quantity of either do you think might be a good balance. Thank you again, Sandy
Mam I am loving your receipe guidance I made aloo jeera & kushka rice it was owsome keep it up sister by following your recipe guidelines in a week I became good cook thank you so much sister god bless you
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Aloo Paratha Recipe with 3 different ways to stuff & roll. Aloo Paratha are Indian Breakfast flatbreads made with whole wheat flour, boiled potatoes, spices & herbs. These flavorful and delicious stuffed Parathas are a staple in many North Indian homes, Dhabas & restaurants. These are most commonly topped with white butter and served alongside Pickle and Yogurt. In this post I show how to make delicious Aloo ka Paratha with my easy step by step picture guide and video.
Firstly a dough is made with whole wheat flour. Next boiled potatoes are mashed or grated and then spiced. This flavorful spiced potato mixture is then stuffed in a small disc of dough and sealed. It is then rolled and pan fried with a generous amount of ghee or oil.
Making Aloo Paratha is easy but needs a bit of practice. In this post I have shown 3 ways to stuff & roll aloo parathas. So if you are new to making these stuffed parathas check out my video and try in smaller quantities.
1. Add 2 cups whole wheat flour, teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon oil and half cup water in a mixing bowl. Begin to mix adding more water as required to form a soft and non-sticky dough. Knead well until really soft and pliable.
2. If you press down the dough, it should dent easily and must be soft. Cover and keep it aside until the stuffing is ready. I always rest my dough for a minimum of 30 minutes. If you prefer to skip the resting time, then knead it a little longer and use it right away.
3. Boil the potatoes just until fork tender without making them mushy or water logged. If cooking in a pressure cooker, place the potatoes in the cooker along with 1 cup water. Pressure cook on a medium heat for 3 to 4 whistles depending on the size. If cooking in a instant pot, pressure cook them for 5 to 6 mins and wait for the pressure to drop naturally.
15. Place the sealed side down on the rolling area and gently roll it evenly without putting pressure. Do not roll the aloo paratha continuously. Instead rotate in clock-wise direction a little after every 4 to 6 rolls to ensure it does not tear or get stuck.
You can make as thin or thick you like. I make mine thin and about 8 to 9 inches. If you see the filling coming out while rolling, then apply some flour there. Sprinkle flour only as needed and avoid using excess.
I had shot these pictures in 2015 but never got to share it on the blog. The stuffing I made here is by tempering the spices in oil first and then I added it to the mashed potatoes. It is on the hotter side with more chilli powder.
Place the aloo stuffing in a 5 inch roti. Then make pleats and bring all the edges on top. Gently join them and pinch off the excess dough. Flatten slightly and dip in flour. Flatten it again to a 4 inch disc with your fingers to spread the filling evenly. Then roll it to as big as you can.
Roll 2 rotis of 6 inches. Spread the aloo mixture on one of the roti as shown below. Wet the edges with little water. Place the other roti on top of it. Press down gently on the sides to seal both the rotis. Then sprinkle flour and roll it evenly as thin as you want. With this method, you will be able to make only 6 large parathas. So divide the dough to 12 and stuffing to 6 parts.
16. After you are done rolling 3 to 4 paranthas, heat a griddle on a medium high flame. When the pan is hot enough, dust off excess flour from the aloo paratha & gently transfer it to the griddle. Within 2 minutes, you will see bubbles. Turn it to the other side.
18. Turn it to & fro to the other side and drizzle more ghee. Cook pressing down on the edges with a spatula so they cook well. Well-cooked parathas will leave your entire house filled with a great aroma. When you see golden to light brown spots on the aloo paratha, remove to a plate.
Firstly boiling potatoes the right way is the key to make the best aloo parathas. Boil them just until fork tender, meaning they are just cooked and not overcooked. Soggy potatoes will make a sticky and very moist stuffing which is not good to make parathas.
Mashing or grating potatoes properly is also very important. There should be no chunks of potatoes left in the mash as they will tear the parathas. Do not over mash to the extent they become pasty. So you can also grate them rather than mashing to avoid pasty texture.
Stuffing the parathas: The first method of stuffing and rolling I have shown here is the best way to make as it completely locks the stuffing in the dough preventing the stuffing from coming out.
Flattening and spreading the stuffing after sealing the spiced aloo in the dough is what makes the aloo paratha perfect. This avoids the parathas from tearing and spreads the filling evenly.
Potatoes: Choosing the right kind of potatoes to make these parathas is very important. Some kind of potatoes turn too mushy and sticky after boiling. Avoid using such potatoes. Avoid using newly harvested potatoes. Old potatoes, Yukon Gold & Russet are suitable for parathas.
Spices: Most people make aloo paratha with minimal spices like cumin, coriander powder and red chilli powder. The combination of spices I have used here makes the parathas so flavorful that your home will be filled with a delicate aroma while frying.
1.You can also temper the spices before adding to the mashed potatoes. To do this, heat 1 tbsp oil or ghee in a small pan. Add ginger and green chilies. Saute for 30 seconds and then add all the spice powders and salt. Turn off and add this to the mashed potatoes.
Haha! So nice to hear that you were able to make them well at the first attempt. If you have not watched my video, I insist watching that. I have shown the easiest way to make beautiful parathas. It needs some practice but you can easily master that. Thanks for sharing back Elizabeth.
I was really excited to learn making aloo paratha and your recipe helped me. They came out so good, right at the first attempt. I really love the first method but it needs some practice. I tried that watching your video but I was too slow. So followed the third method and it is easy. Thank you for the videos and all your recipes.
So glad to know Emma. Thank you so much. Yes you can add about to cup of grated paneer. If you want you can increase the spice level or cut down the quantity of potatoes to keep the spice level same. Hope you like them too.
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