Dishoom’s Aloo Sabzi

Dishoom restaurant in London’s version of aloo sabzi, a richly spiced vegetarian Indian potato curry that is made extra special with the addition of chickpeas and paneer.

There’s officially a fall chill in the air, which has me craving a big bowl of something warm, spicy, and ideally paneer-filled. When this mood hits, I turn to one of my many Indian cookbooks and never fail to find inspiration within their pages.

Recently on one of these cookbook expeditions I discovered aloo sabzi, which is a fairly traditional vegetarian potato-based curry. Made without onion or garlic, it relies heavily on various spices for its signature depth of flavor. This version is from the Dishoom cookbook, which features fare from the famous London restaurant of the same name. While restaurant cookbooks can be hit or miss (many are not very well tested or adapted for the home cook), Dishoom’s does a great job of bringing their Indian food to life right in your own kitchen. I’ve made quite a few of the recipes and they’ve all turned out really well, rivaling the Indian takeout we often order.

Most recipes for aloo sabzi are pretty bare bones, featuring potatoes that are first boiled and then fried in a heady and aromatic mix of tempered spices. This version from Dishoom is more of a “wet” than “dry” curry and takes the liberties of adding both chickpeas and paneer to the dish, making it not only heartier and more nutritionally complete but also a bit more indulgent.

For those who are less experienced with cooking Indian fare, making this may require a trip to a local Indian market as it does require some dried herbs and spices that are not as readily found in your typical grocery store. However, I promise that once you dive into Indian cooking and realize just how simple it can be you will be seeking out new recipes to use up your bounty, just as I do.

Or you can just make this aloo sabzi over and over, which is not a bad life choice either.

Dishoom's Aloo Sabzi

 

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Dishoom restaurant in London's version of aloo sabzi, a richly spiced vegetarian Indian potato curry that is made extra special with the addition of chickpeas and paneer.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb potatoes, peeled
• 2½ tsp ground coriander
• 1½ tsp deggi mirch chili powder
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ tsp fine sea salt
• 3.5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ⅓ tsp asafoetida
• 0.5 oz fresh ginger, minced
• 2-3 green chilies, stems removed
• ¾ cup chickpeas
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp dried fenugreek leaves
• ½ tsp amchur powder
• ¼ cup cilantro, minced
• 4 tbsp butter
• 8 oz paneer, cut into ½-inch cubves
• lime juice, to taste

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water just until tender, about 10 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain and allow to cool. Once cool enough to touch, cut into bite-sized pieces.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the ground coriander, chili powder, turmeric, black pepper, and salt. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Once warm, add the cumin seeds. Allow to sizzle for 20 seconds, then add the asafoetida. Stir to combine. Add in the ginger and whole chilies. Stir again.
4. Add the dry spice mix, stirring constantly until toasted, about 1 minute. Pour in 3 cups of hot water. Add the cooked potatoes, crumbling half of them with your hands as you add them. Stir in the chickpeas. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often.
5. Stir in the garam masala, fenugreek, amchur, and cilantro. Cook for another 2 minute, then stir in the butter, paneer, and lime juice to taste. Allow to heat for 1 minute to allow the flavors to infuse, then remove from the heat.
6. Serve over rice or with naan.

Notes

Recipe from Dishoom

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