Aloo ki launji is a Punjabi-style sweet and spicy potato curry. It pairs very well with poori and paratha and can be made in under 20 minutes using simple ingredients.
As we all love potatoes for our meals, here are some more recipes that will surely satiate your taste buds – Aloo Methi, Aloo Gobi, Dum Aloo, Aloo Matar, Aloo Baingan, and Bhandare Wale Aloo Ki Sabzi.
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About This Recipe
This Punjabi aloo ki launji is something you need to try soon! A little sour, a little sweet, and the perfect amount of heat from the green chili peppers, this potato curry is bursting with flavors. Aloo ki launji is a popular curry from Amritsar, the food capital of Punjab, and is popularly served with poori or the popular combo of chole bhature.
This sweet and sour curry is made using boiled potatoes and further flavored with tamarind, jaggery, and a few spices. This curry also gets a distinct flavor from the pickle spices like fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, black cardamom, and asafoetida, which makes it even more delicious.
It can be savored for breakfast, brunch, family get-togethers, potlucks, festive meals, or enjoyed for your regular meals too.
This curry is,
- Vegan
- Sweet & Sour
- Delicious
- Unique
- Easy to make
Ingredients
Potatoes – You will need boiled potatoes to make this recipe. Boil them in a traditional pressure cooker, instant pot, or in a pot over the stove top. I have explained the processes below in the post.
Oil – I have used vegetable oil for this recipe but you can use mustard oil too.
Spices – Spices like fennel seeds (saunf), fenugreek seeds (methi), nigella seeds (kalonji), and black cardamom are used. These spices add a great flavor to the curry. Make sure to crush them lightly in a mortar and pestle so that they release all their flavor in the oil.
Spice Powders – To add a little more taste and color, add in some basic spice powders such as coriander powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt.
Use Kashmiri red chili powder, as it will add a nice red color to the launji without making it too spicy.
Green Chili Peppers – Adjust the amount of green chili peppers as per the spice level you like.
Tamarind Paste – It adds a great tangy and sour flavor. You can use lime juice in place of tamarind.
Jaggery – To balance the sour and spicy flavor, jaggery is added for sweetness.
Others – To add more flavor to the curry, ingredients such as asafetida (hing) and fresh ginger are also used.
How to make Aloo Ki Launji?
Peel 0.6 lb (300 g) boiled potatoes and mash them coarsely with your hands.
Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add 1 tsp fennel seeds, ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds, ½ tsp nigella seeds, 1 whole black cardamom, and ¼ tsp asafetida and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
Add 1 tsp ginger and 2-3 green chili peppers (slit into half) and fry for 6-8 seconds.
Add the mashed potatoes and mix everything well.
Now add 2 tsp coriander powder, 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, and salt to taste and cook for a minute.
Add 2 cups of water to the skillet and mix well.
Cover the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Remove the lid and add 2 tsp tamarind paste and 2 tsp crushed jaggery and cook for another 2-3 minutes. This curry is supposed to be slightly thin. Add more water if it is thick. Serve hot with poori or paratha.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this launji with phulka, paratha, kachori, and poori. It will also taste great with bhatura or any other Indian bread.
Storage Suggestions
Store this curry in an airtight container in a refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in a microwave or in a pan. Add some water while reheating if the curry has thickened.
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Recipe Card
Aloo Ki Launji Recipe
Ingredients
- 0.6 pound potatoes (boiled and peeled )
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf) (coarsely crushed)
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi) (coarsely crushed)
- ½ teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji) (coarsely crushed)
- 1 whole black cardamom (coarsely crushed)
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2-3 green chili peppers (slit into half)
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- salt (to taste)
- 2 teaspoons tamarind paste
- 2 teaspoons crushed jaggery
Instructions
- Peel 0.6 lb (300 g) boiled potatoes and mash them coarsely with your hands.
- Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add 1 tsp fennel seeds, ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds, ½ tsp nigella seeds, 1 whole black cardamom, and ¼ tsp asafetida and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add 1 tsp ginger and 2-3 green chili peppers (slit into half) and fry for 6-8 seconds.
- Add the mashed potatoes and mix everything well.
- Now add 2 tsp coriander powder, 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, and salt to taste and cook for a minute.
- Add 2 cups of water to the skillet and mix well.
- Cover the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Remove the lid and add 2 tsp tamarind paste and 2 tsp crushed jaggery and cook for another 2-3 minutes. This curry is supposed to be slightly thin. Add more water if it is thick. Serve hot with poori or paratha.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!