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The best recipe for Jeera Aloo – These Cumin spiced potatoes are one of my favourite side dishes and the best way to add a touch of India to your meals! Serve as a side or add to bowls or breakfast, or serve as chaat snack. Gluten-free. Nutfree Soyfree
Meet Jeera Aloo aka Indian Cumin Potatoes – a vibrantly spiced vegan Indian side dish that’s easy to make and satisfying to eat. This classic Indian potato side dish recipe is loaded with flavor from whole cumin seeds and fresh herbs and is naturally gluten-free, Soyfree and nutfree
Try it as a side dish for your next Indian feast,as a healthy and comforting lunch or as an addition to your favorite bowl or as a snack topped with onion, cucumber, tomato and lemon juice or cilantro chutney!
Jeera is the Hindi word for cumin and cumin is indeed the star of the show here. We add 1 1/2 teaspoons of whole cumin seeds alongside some ginger, coriander, pepper, chili, and garam masala.
As you might suspect by now, these potatoes are not just extremely delicious but also pretty spicy. However, you are in full control of the heat level and can reduce the level of spiciness by halfing the amount of the cayenne, black pepper and green chili.
Why you’ll love these Cumin potatoes!
- they are super easy
- they are super delicious
- they are super quick if you have pre-boiled potatoes
- they go well with a lot of different cuisines
- They are allergy friendly
More Indian side dishes
Garlic Potato Spinach Stir fry- Lasooni Aloo Palak
Vegan Handi Lentils (Creamy Indian Dal)
Instant Pot Indian Cabbage and Peas (Patta Gobi Subzi)
Jackfruit coconut chickpea stir fry
Jeera aloo (cumin potatoes)
Ingredients
- 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, boiled, peeled and cubed, into ½ to ¾ inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1 hot green chili, finely chopped or thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ to 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne or use paprika for less heat
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Generous pinch of hing, asafetida , optional, or use 1 clove of garlic and add with ginger
- ½ teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, , omit if you don’t have them
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Boil, peel and cube your potatoes, if you haven’t already and set aside. see notes
- Head a skillet over medium heat, add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and toast until they have significantly changed color and are very fragrant. Then add the green chilies and mix in, then add the ginger and mix in.
- Then after a few seconds add all the ground spices and salt and mix in. Add the cubed potatoes and toss well to coat. Add the lemon juice and fenugreek leaves and mix in well and cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 1-2 minutes to let the spices infuse and coat the potatoes.
- Uncover, add cilantro, mix well and take off heat.
- Serve as is or as your breakfast potatoes or as a side with indian food or add to wraps or sandwiches. Or serve as a Chaat snack topped with onion, tomatoes and cilantro chutney or lemon juice
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients:
- potatoes: I like Yukon gold potatoes. We want them boiled, peeled and cubed. You can also use red skinned potatoes, or russet potatoes. baby potatoes are great as well
- to get the flavors going, we fry whole cumin seeds in oil
- green chili and fresh ginger are added to the tempering to finish the tempering
- ground spices: I like a mix of turmeric, coriander, garam masala, cayenne or use less paprika for less heat and black pepper
- potatoes need salt – don’t skimp
- for that authentic flavor I add a generous pinch of hing (asafetida) , it is optional
- dried fenugreek leaves lend a nutty flavor to the potatoes
- the brightness from fresh lemon juice really brings the flavors in the dish together.
- finish the dish with some chopped cilantro
Tips:
- Potatoes that work well for this jeera aloo recipe are Yukon gold, red-skinned potatoes, baby potatoes, and russet potatoes
How to make Jeera Aloo
Boil, peel and cube your potatoes, if you haven’t already and set aside.
Heat a skillet over medium heat, add the oil. Once the oil is hot add the cumin seeds and toast until they have significantly changed color and are very fragrant , then add the green chilies and mix in, then add the ginger and mix in.
Then after a few seconds add all the ground spices and salt and mix in. Add the cubed potatoes and toss well to coat.
Toss really well, then add the lemon juice and dried fenugreek, mix in well and cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 1-2 minutes to let the spices infuse the potatoes.
Uncover, add cilantro, mix well and take off heat.
Serve as is or as your breakfast potatoes or as your side with Indian food or add to wraps or anything.
Storage
You can refrigerate any leftover potatoes for upto 3 days and add them to breakfast wraps or make delicious sandwiches with leftover jeera aloo or make a quick chaat snack, too with onion tomato cucumber and cilantro chutney or lemon juice
This was really, really good. I made it for a friend to accompany Chicken-free Balti and he very much enjoyed it. Mercifully, for both recipes I made four servings, because there was hardly anything left at the end of the meal. Both were incredibly delicious and moreish.
yum! thank you!
Yum! I didn’t have a green chili on hand, the coriander chutney was plenty spicy. I maxed the cayenne and used 1 tsp garam masala. This was a fantastic side dish and we will make this again.
yay!
this is called in jeera aalu dish .
yum!
I’m not familiar with this potato in UK, or average size. What would you estimate the total weight to be please?
340 grams
Came together easily and the flavor was fantastic!
love to read that
Thank you for sharing such yummy recipes. We do not use oil, and we can cook the spices without oil. However, fo you have any thoughts as to how to cook the potatoes without them sticking.????
We are most appreciative.
Use a really good. On stick skillet. Fry toast the cumin seeds. The use broth to sauté. Also use parboiled potatoes and add to the pan and cover and cook for 7-8 mins. Then switch off heat and let them sit for 10 mins for flavors to infuse