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Potato Masala

Potato Masala is a simple, comforting and flavorful Chennai hotel style side dish made with soft cooked potatoes, onions, mild spices and a beautifully comforting consistency that pairs perfectly with hot, freshly puffed pooris.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Breakfast, Gravy
Cuisine Indian

Ingredients
  

For the Potato Masala

  • White potatoes – 4 medium boiled, peeled and roughly mashed/chopped
  • Onion – 1 large finely sliced
  • Tomato – 1 medium roughly chopped
  • Garlic – 8 cloves sliced
  • Green chilli – 3 small finely chopped
  • Curry leaves – 1 sprig
  • Coriander leaves – for garnish
  • Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
  • Salt – to taste
  • Water – approximately 3 cups adjust for desired consistency

To Temper

  • 3 Tbsp Oil
  • ½ tsp Mustard seeds
  • 1 ½ tsp Urad dal
  • 1 ½ Tbsp Channa dal
  • 1 tsp Jeera (cumin seeds)

Instructions
 

  • Pressure cook the potatoes until soft. Peel the skin and keep aside. Once cooled slightly, peel and keep aside
  • Heat oil in a pan. Once hot, add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
  • Add urad dal and channa dal and sauté until lightly golden. Then add jeera and mix briefly.
  • Add curry leaves, green chilli and sliced garlic. Sauté for a few seconds until aromatic.
  • Add the sliced onions and cook until soft and translucent.
  • Add chopped tomatoes and give it a quick stir.
  • Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes soften.
  • Pour in approximately 3 cups of water and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. This masala tastes best with a slightly flowy hotel-style consistency.
  • Once the gravy is well combined and cooked, add the potatoes but roughly mashing with hand. Dont make it into smooth paste. Also while cooking, using the back of the ladle, gently mash some of the potatoes into the gravy while leaving a few chunks for texture.
  • Cover and cook on medium flame, stirring occasionally.
  • Cook until you reach your desired consistency. Turn off the flame, garnish generously with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

Notes | FAQ

  • This recipe tastes best with a slightly loose consistency rather than thick potato curry.
  • Roughly mashing the potatoes gives that classic hotel style texture.
  • Adjust water based on whether serving with poori or chapati.
  • Garlic gives a nice depth of flavor — don’t skip if you enjoy hotel-style taste.
  • Mash only part of the potatoes so you still get some soft potato chunks in every bite.