Potato masala or aloo masala recipe for dosa, poori, sandwich, roti rolls (wraps) or can be served as a side with rice. This potato masala is much known as aloo masala in South India and is most commonly served with masala dosa as a filling. This delicious side dish tastes not only delicious but is also aromatic & easy to make.
If you have the preboiled potatoes, this recipe just takes about 10 mins. You can either boil the potatoes in a pot, traditional pressure cooker or instant pot.
This recipe will give you aloo masala that tastes close to the one served in South Indian restaurants.
I usually make this for the breakfast to eat with dosas & poori. I use the rest to make kathi rolls or potato sandwich for the lunch box.
My people at home also love this with lemon rice, coconut rice, pudina rice, or sesame rice.
The texture of the curry can be adjusted to suit your liking. I prefer to keep it slightly moist, little dry than the curry served in restaurants. This helps the dosa and sandwich to keep crisp for a little longer.
Step-by-step photos
Preparation
1. Cook potatoes until just done in whatever way you like. In the cooker, steamer or directly in a pot. I cook them in a pot with just enough water to cover. If you are a beginner, i suggest cooking in a pot. Potatoes should not turn mushy but fully cooked. You can check by pricking a fork if it is done.
How to make potato masala for dosa, sandwich and rolls
2. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin, mustard, chana dal and urad dal. Fry until the dals turn golden. Add hing.
3. Saute grated ginger until it begins to smell good.
4. Add chopped or sliced onions, curry leaves and chopped or slit green chilies. Sprinkle little salt.
5. Fry until the onions turn pink.
6. Lower the flame, add potato, turmeric and salt. You can add turmeric to the onions to get a good color.
7. Mash them gently. You can also keep small cubes if you like it that way. Add little potato stock or water to bring together the potatoes. It will be fairly dry without the addition of water. I use about 3 to 4 tbsp. potato stock.
8. Mix everything well. This is the texture we prefer and is good for dosa, sandwiches, rolls and lunch box as well. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves.
Serve potato curry with dosa. To make sandwich i smear little pudina chutney to the bread first and then stuff this curry.
Here are my tips to make this the best.
Tips
Potatoes: Boil the potatoes until fork tender or until just done and not mushy. If the potatoes are cooked mushy, they will make your masala dosa soft when you stuff this.
Curry leaves, ginger & green chilies are the 3 main flavoring ingredients in this aloo masala. Do not skip them as you will miss those flavors. There are no substitutes to these.
Onions: Ensure you saute the onions well until the raw smell goes away. They must turn transparent and emit a sweet aroma.
For more Potato recipes,you can check
Poori masala
Potato curry
Potato kurma
Aloo gobi masala
Recipe
Potato masala recipe for dosa
Potato masala
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
Ingredients for potato masala
- 2 cups potatoes peeled & diced to 1 inch cubes (400 grams, 3 medium)
- 1 medium onions chopped or sliced (about ½ to ¾ cup)
- ½ tbsp ginger chopped or grated (about 1 inch)
- ½ to ¾ tsp Salt as needed
Tempering
- 2 tbsp oil
- ¼ to ½ tsp mustard
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chana dal
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 to 2 green chilies chopped or sliced
- 1/8 tsp turmeric (use more if needed)
- 1 Pinch hing (optional)
For garnish
- 2 tbsps coriander leaves chopped finely
How to make the recipe
Method 1 – How to make potato masala (stovetop)
- Boil potatoes either in a pot or pressure cooker.
- If cooking in a pot, bring water to a boil and add the diced potatoes. Cook them just until done or fork tender and not mushy. OR If cooking in a pressure cooker, add the potatoes to a bowl and pour little water. Cover and pressure cook for 3 whistles on a medium flame.
- Ensure potatoes are just cooked and not very soft or mushy.
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard and cumin.
- When they begin to splutter, add chana dal and urad dal. Fry until golden and then add hing.
- Add onions, green chili and curry leaves.
- Saute till the onions turn transparent. Then add ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
- Once the onions turn transparent, add potatoes, turmeric and salt..
- Mash slightly and add very little water or potato boiled stock to make the entire potato masala moist. Stir and cook for one to 2 mins.
- Add coriander leaves. Stir. Serve potato masala with dosa, puri, chapati, bread or rice.
Method 2 – How to make potato masala in instant pot
- Press SAUTE button and pour oil to the inner pot of the instant pot.
- Add mustard, cumin, chana dal & urad dal. Fry all of these until the dals turn golden.
- Then add curry leaves, onions and green chilies.
- Saute onions well until they turn transparent or pink. Add ginger and fry for 30 seconds.
- Transfer the diced potatoes (1 inch cubes), add salt, turmeric and pour ⅓ cup (80 ml) water.
- Press CANCEL button. Deglaze the pot by scrubbing the bottom with a spatula to release bits of food stuck.
- Secure the instant pot with the lid. Position the steam release handle or vent to sealing.
- Next press PRESSURE COOK button and set the timer to 4 mins (high pressure).
- When the instant pot is done, press cancel. Release the pressure manually by moving the steam release handle from sealing to venting.
- If there is any excess moisture left, evaporate it in the saute mode first.
- Give a good stir and lightly mash only after the excess moisture has evaporated. Add more salt if needed. Garnish with coriander leaves.
- Serve potato masala with dosa, sandwiches, roti or even in wraps.
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips.
Alice says
Fantastic! I was looking for a ‘good’ recipe for Potato Bhaji and the way you have given the recipe, as you mentioned in the ‘About swasthi’ section is what “got” me. My 15-year old daughter shares my love for this dish and we got to make it today. It is an easy enough recipe, but as the other readers have noted and you too, you are so methodical, don’t waste time….etc.
I will be using your blog/website to make the Rajma and Chole recipes. Thank you so much!
swasthi says
Hi Alice
You are welcome. So glad to know! Thank you so much!
Hope you enjoy the recipes.
🙂
Dwight D Waller says
Very good & delicious.
swasthi says
Thank you
rianna says
Delicious! We used sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes, and it made the aloo masala just a little sweet, which tasted awesome inside of dosas! This recipe, while super easy to follow and beginner friendly, tastes just like what you get in restaurants or what my grandma would make. Thanks!
swasthi says
Hi Rianna
Glad to know it turned out good. Thank you!
Graham says
I am inspired to start cooking South Indian food again. My curry leaf tree in England will come into its own.
swasthi says
Yes do try the recipes!
Arti says
Love your recipes.. excellent taste. They are not complicated.. simple and easy to make.
Like your magical tips along with the recipes..They make a lot of difference in taste.
Thank you !
swasthi says
Welcome Arti
Happy to know! Thank you so much!
🙂
lukra says
I have made this a few time’s already as we really enjoy the potato with dosas. Thank you for posting it.
swasthi says
Glad to know!
Thank you
Kiran Chandra says
Made it today. Followed the recipe and the potatoes came out delicious!! The pictures accompanying the recipe are very helpful. Thank you.
swasthi says
Hi Kiran
You are welcome! Glad it came out delicious. Thank you!
Pooja Sanghavi says
Tried this today and it came out very well. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
swasthi says
Welcome Pooja
Glad you liked the potato masala. Thank you.
Kowsi says
I recently became a vegetarian and found myself struggling with healthy meals. I am not a much of a cook especially when it comes to south asian food. I recently found myself wanting to learn to make some of the dishes I really enjoy eating at restaurants and your recipes are it for me! I love the simplicity of the instructions and the pictures, especially since I don’t know all the ingredients by name, it helps to learn it proper. This potato masala turned out sooo good, I impressed few of my family members with it, and have shared the url with many. THANK YOU! So impressed with your cooking skills. 🙂
swasthi says
Hi Kowsi,
You are welcome. So happy to know the potato masala turned out good. Appreciate your interest to learn Indian food. Thanks for being here and the comment. So happy reading it.
🙂
Harshitha says
I just love your blog.. I tried most of dishes for the first time and all came out really delicious.. 💕 It’s really helpful 🙏 Thank you so much!!♥
swasthi says
Welcome Harshitha
Glad to know the recipes are useful. Thanks a lot for following the blog.
🙂
Deepmala Pradeep Bhintade says
It is very interesting. It is there for all age people.
swasthi says
Thank you
Phantom Paper says
This turned out pretty good! Delicious! Thank you 🙂
swasthi says
You are welcome. Thanks for the comment
Dr Reshma Anjum says
Thanks Swathi! I found the recipe of all south Indian food stuff which i am eating in street and Restaurant in south India. Its really helpful.
swasthi says
Welcome Dr. Reshma
Glad to know the recipes are useful. Thanks a lot
🙂
Sandhya says
Thank you.. I didn’t know adding little amount of water will make wonders to this dish. Good tip, indeed!
swasthi says
Welcome Sandhya
Yes its true. Thanks for trying
🙂
Mike F says
This (potato curry for masala dosa) has been on of our favorite recipes. Thank you so much for all of your hard work and effort to share these recipes.
swasthi says
Welcome Mike
Glad to know you liked it. Thanks for the comment
Dulani says
Hi Swathi… i am from Sri Lanka, and i really love indian foods… but i didnt hv any idea abt making them … it’s pleasure to say that I hv prepared the Masala Dosa according your recipe and it was really delicious…v really enjoyed the breakfast today… Thank you very for the recipe..
swasthi says
Hi Dulani
You are welcome.
Gald to know you. Really very happy that you made delicious dosa. Thanks for the comment. Have a wonderful day
lady says
isnt the chana dal hard like a rock in this dish? im just a little confused why youd add uncooked dal to this dish, im imagining biting down on a hard pebble and it doesnt sound too good.
swasthi says
Hi
After adding potatoes, we also add 3 to 4 tbsps of water that will soften them. They will be hard if over fried. Some people prefer to soak them for 5 mins in hot water and use, but as such without that it works well for me. Hope this helps. Thanks for rating the recipe
SHILPA SABUI says
I made it yesterday and it was really very delicious. my father asked me to thank you. so, from all of us…..thank you soooooooo much for sharing such nice recipes…
swasthi says
Hi Shilpa
You are welcome. So happy to know you all like it. Thanks for the feedback
maria says
Plzz provide all recipes in my inbox in given email id. ……thxxx
Email id is—
maria. beishma04 @gmail. Com
swasthi says
Hi maria
I will subscribe you for the emails. You will receive all the upcoming recipes
Jagan says
mine too….
swasthi says
Yes sure I will do it.
Zakiya says
Hey swasthi
Your recipes are really amazing and am trying to make a one of them according to your delectable recipe.
swasthi says
Hi Zakiya
Thanks for trying and the feedback. Have a lovely weekend
ramya says
this is surely a comfort food ever
swasthi says
Yes Ramya
Thank you
bharat says
hi there – if I add the daals, won’t they remain hard – what is the best way to add chana and urad daal to the potato mix – thanks
swasthi says
Hi Bharat,
Since I pour some potato cooked stock this helps to soften the dals. Many people soak the dals and add to the seasoning. But that doesn’t really bring an aroma of roasted dals. After frying the onions just pour 1/4 cup stock or water and cook. Then add potatoes.