Potato kurma recipe or aloo kurma recipe for ghee rice, chapathi, Biryani, puri, Pulao – also called as chapati kurma or Poori kurma. Basically a kurma or korma is a popular curry dish from south Asian countries made with coconut, curd and nuts.
Kurma is an everyday side dish that’s eaten often in south Indian homes. In Andhra pradesh, a veg biryani, veg pulao or any aromatic rice like ghee rice is mostly served with a potato kurma.
This potato kurma is one of the best to serve with some plain basmati rice or any special rice varieties like ghee rice, jeera rice, pulao or biryani. You can also check this south Indian hotel style mixed vegetable kurma.
I rarely make biryani gravy or side dishes for biryani or pulao and most times I just end up with an onion raita. This potato kurma recipe is keeper and I make it almost every time I make variety rice.
For more kurma recipes
Soya chunks kurma
Paneer kurma
Mushroom kurma
Cauliflower kurma
Chicken kurma
You can also check Aloo matar, Restaurant style Aloo gobi and Punjabi Dum aloo.
Aloo kurma or potato kurma recipe
Potato kurma recipe | aloo kurma recipe for chapathi, biryani
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 3 large potatoes 1½ cups cubed
- 1½ tbsp oil
- 1¼ onions finely chopped
- ¾ cup tomatoes finely chopped
- 1½ tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 green chili slit (optional)
- Salt as needed
- 1/8 tsp turmeric
- ¾ tsp red chili powder
- 1 to 1½ tsp garam masala
- ¼ fennel seeds or sombu / saunf crushed
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
- 2 tbsp pudina or mint chopped (optional)
to grind or use ½ cup thick fresh curd
- 3 tbsp coconut pieces chopped or grated coconut
- 2 tbsps poppy seeds or 8 cashewnuts
dry spices
- ½ tsp cumin or jeera or shahi jeera
- 2 green cardamoms
- 1 star anise or biryani flower
- 1 inch cinnamon or dalchini
- 4 cloves or laung
- 1 strand mace or javitri (optional)
- 1 small bay leaf or curry leaves
How to make the recipe
Preparation for potato kurma
- Add oil to a hot pan, and saute dry spices until they begin to sizzle.
- Fry onions until golden.
- Add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes off.
- Then add tomatoes and sprinkle salt and turmeric. Fry until the tomatoes turn completely soft and blend well with onions.
- Next add mint or coriander leaves and fry for a minute.
- Add garam masala, red chili powder and crushed fennel or saunf. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes until the raw smell of chili powder goes away.
Making potato kurma
- Transfer coconut and poppy seeds paste or half cup yogurt.
- Stir and fry until the mixture begins to smell good.
- Add potatoes and saute for 2 minutes. You can use parboiled or un boiled potatoes.
- Add water and stir. Cook on a low flame till the potato is cooked and oil begins to separate. You can also pressure cook on a low flame for one whistle.
- Add chopped coriander and Serve potato kurma with biryani, pulao or chapathi.
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
If you are new to cooking, follow my detailed step by step photo instructions for best results.
Preparation for potato kurma
1. Add coconut and poppy seeds or cashews or fried gram to a blender and make a smooth and thick paste using little water. If you do not want to use coconut & poppy seeds then just use half cup curd/ yogurt. Using only curd gives a different taste to the curry and is not as thick as the coconut one, but tastes good.
2. Heat oil in a pan or pressure cooker, add cardamom, cloves, star anise, cloves, small cinnamon stick and cumin or shahi jeera. You can also use bay leaf and a single strand of mace. Saute until they sizzle.
3. Add finely chopped onions and fry until golden.
4. Next add ginger garlic and fry until the raw smell is gone.
5. Add finely chopped tomatoes, salt and turmeric.
6. Fry until the tomatoes completely get mushy and blend well with onions.
7. Add red chili powder, garam masala and sombu/ fennel seeds crushed or powdered. Fennel seeds lend a unique flavor. You can pulse them in a blender with garam masala and use.
8. Next add coriander leaves or pudina/ mint. For an andhra style, use chopped pudina. Fry everything well for 1 more minute. I suggest not to skip this as well since this lends a good flavor.
How to make aloo kurma or potato kurma
9. Add coconut paste or half cup curd.
10. Mix everything and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the coconut begins to smell good.
11. Add cubed potatoes. You can also boil potatoes till 3/4 cooked and then add here. Some variety of potatoes don’t get cooked after adding to the curry, if you any time had a trouble like that, i suggest cooking the potatoes till 3/4 done and then add it here.
12. Pour water to cover the potatoes. I used 1 ¾ cups water. If you have boiled potatoes separately, you can use that water here. Do not add too much water as it may make the curry thin.
13. Cooking korma on a low flame always yields the best taste. Cook until the potatoes are completely cooked. If making in a pressure cooker, cook for one whistle. When the pressure goes off, stir. Stir well. You can adjust salt now. If needed to bring it to a thicker consistency, you can cook further. Add coriander leaves.
Serve potato kurma with biryani, chapathi or puri.
Deepa says
It came out yummy. Thanks for sharing the recipe
swasthi says
Welcome Deepa
Ravi says
This is smelling so amazing and really its a wow. so nicely explained and with pictures its makes it more easier to look and do it with easy. Thank you for the amazing Kurma recipe and I really appreciate it. I haven’t tried doing a Kurma till now like the way its mentioned and with all ingredients and specifics. This is truly amazing. Having with Simple Bagara rice ( Basmati Rice + Butter + Bay Leaves + Green Chillis + Salt) and this curry combination is like wow.
swasthi says
Hi,
You are welcome! Glad it turned out amazing. Yes it goes so well with bagara rice. Thank you so much!
Malathi says
Hi,
Today I made Potato kurma curry by following your blog and believe me it came really tasty. Thanks for sharing these recipes and it is very helpful for the person like me.
swasthi says
Thanks Malathi
Glad you liked it.
Umadevigsharma says
Did you use both Coconut paste and yogurt curd in potato Kurma? I confused because you mentioned Coconut paste. Or curd in the recepi. I want to clarify but otherwise your is very good .I am going to try it. Thank you .
swasthi says
Hi Uma,
You are welcome. I used coconut paste and not curd. But you can also make it with curd.
Priya says
Can we add peas with potato
swasthi says
Yes you can add peas.
Sravanthi says
I love all your receipes swasthi is the best !
swasthi says
Thank you Sravanthi!
So happy to know you love the recipes.
🙂
Sree says
Hi, I like your clear step by step directions for the recipes. I was going through chicken curry recipe and noticed that we should put poppy seed mixture towards the end. Whereas in aaloo korma we put in the beginning. Wanted to know the reason behind. Or its our choice if we put beginning or end.
swasthi says
Hi Sree,
Thank you so much for reading the blog. The taste of the dish depends on when we add the poppy seeds. For some andhra chicken & fish curries we use it towards the end to neutralize the spicy taste and bring in a milky flavor and taste. For kurma recipes we usually add it first and saute along with masalas since coconut is also used. You can check this chicken kurma which i made similar to this potato kurma. Try both the methods to check what you like. Hope this helps
Nithyashree says
Its just awesome. Thank you so much for this recipe!!😁😁
swasthi says
You are welcome Nithya
Suman says
Thank you very much for the recipe. It turned out to be super tasty. I made it for around 10 people and everyone enjoyed it .
swasthi says
Welcome Suman,
🙂
Shwetha says
Which Garam Masala do you use?
swasthi says
I use homemade masala
Shalini says
Shall we use veggies like carrot,beans,and peanut to the potato kurma….
swasthi says
Yes shalini you can use. You can also check this veg kurma recipe
mahesh says
Potato kurma came well and went well with biriani.
Thanks for the recipe
swasthi says
Welcome Mahesh
Thanks for trying