This dry aloo sabzi (dry spiced potatoes) makes for a simple but very tasty Indian lunch. It comes together easily with a few simple ingredients like yellow potatoes, onions, garlic and some spices. Serve with home cooked roti and dal (lentils) for a complete meal.
Boil the potatoes until tender but still firm. Stovetop: 20-25 minutes. Instant Pot: 4 minutes pressure cooking with 10 minutes pressure release.
Peel and cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces.
Chop the onions, garlic, and cilantro finely.
Dry roast the coriander seeds in a medium-hot frypan and grind coarsely when cool.
Cooking
Keep a karahi (wok) or small pot on medium heat and add the cumin seeds. When they start to sizzle, add the onions and garlic. Fry until the onions are just turning reddish brown.
Add the potatoes and the ground spices. Stir with a spoon to coat the potatoes with the spices and cook for 4-5 minutes only. Do not add any water.
Finally, add the chopped cilantro. Top with slit green chillies and lemon juice if using. Serve hot with the bread of your choice.
Notes
You can use any variety of baby potatoes for this recipe. Adjust the time accordingly (baby potatoes cook faster). They also have very thin skins, so there's no need to peel them. Halve them if you must after they are boiled.
Do use chopped garlic only, not minced. Minced garlic will make the sabzi a little sludgy, and we don't want that. We want soft but dry and crisped up potatoes wrapped in spices here.
Mentioned before, but don't add water while cooking the sabzi. It will change the look and taste of the sabzi.
If you find the taste of coriander seeds too overpowering, you can substitute with half a teaspoon of ground cumin too.