Maharashtrian Potato Bhaji (Batata Bhaji) is a simple and easy-to-make dry side dish (sabji) from Maharashtrian cuisine. Made using potatoes and basic Indian spices, it pairs well with puri, chapati, and pav. You can even repurpose it for sandwiches, stuffed idli, dosa stuffing, or paratha stuffing (vegan, can be easily made gluten-free).
Here are some other easy Indian potato recipes that can be made for your everyday meals: Aloo Methi, Aloo Baingan, Punjabi Style Aloo Gobhi, Sindhi Aloo Tuk, and Punjabi Jeera Aloo.
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About Maharashtrian Potato Bhaji (Batata Bhaji)
Potato Bhaji (Batata Bhaji) is a very popular Maharashtrian aloo dish.
Batata here means “potato” and bhaji means “sabzi.” Prepared using basic spices, this Ukadleli Batatyachi Bhaji (boiled potato sabji) is made in almost every Maharashtrian household for everyday meals.
Maharashtrian-Style Aloo Sabzi, has a light yellow color from the use of turmeric and is lightly spiced, unlike the North Indian Aloo Sabzi, which is quite hot and spicy.
Potato Bhaji gets its spicy taste from the use of green chili peppers and curry leaves, which give it a nice Maharashtrian touch.
Apart from daily meals, I have also seen Maharashtrians making this dish for their special festival meals, and it is also an item on their wedding menu.
It is also very popular as Naivedya (an offering) to Lord Ganesh during Ganesh Festival or as part of the Satyanarayan Puja Prasad thali. In this version, onion and garlic are not used.
This sabji is also great to pack for lunch boxes with paratha and poori.
Potato Bhaji recipe is vegan and can be easily made gluten-free. It can be easily doubled or tripled too.
Ingredients
Potatoes – You will need boiled potatoes to make this sabji.
Onions – This sabji can be prepared with or without onions. When made for prashad (offering to god) or for upvas (Indian fasting), onions are not added.
Green Chilies – Green chilis are used to add spice to this aloo sabzi. Increase or decrease green chilies as per your taste.
You can use Indian green chillies or Thai green chilies, Serrano peppers, Jalapeno peppers, etc.
Curry Leaves – Curry leaves add a refreshing taste.
Oil – Traditionally, peanut oil is used to make Batata Bhaji recipe. You can use any vegetable oil or ghee.
Turmeric Powder – The only spice powder that you need is turmeric powder.
Cashew Nuts – Cashews add a nice crunch. You can also use peanuts instead of cashews.
Cilantro – Garnish the sabzi with chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves) for a refreshing taste.
Others – Apart from these ingredients, you will need salt, sugar, asafetida (hing), brown mustard seeds, cumin seeds, freshly squeezed lime juice, garlic, and fresh ginger.
Lime juice can be replaced with lemon juice.
To make variations, add some chopped fenugreek leaves (methi), spinach leaves (palak), or green peas to this aloo bhaji recipe.
How To Make Potato Bhaji
Preparation
Start by boiling 8 oz (225 g) of potatoes.
You can boil them in a pressure cooker, instant pot, or over the stove. I have mentioned the boiling process in my Bombay Potatoes post. You can check it out if you wish to.
Once the potatoes are boiled, peel them, cut them into ½-inch cubes, and set them aside.
You can also crush the potatoes with your fingers instead of cutting them with a knife.
Slice the onions, and chop the chilies, ginger, and garlic.
Cush the cashew nuts roughly.
Gather the remaining ingredients.
Make The Bhaji
Heat 2 tablespoon peanut oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
- 10-12 whole curry leaves
and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
Add ½ cup thinly sliced onions and 2 teaspoon chopped green chilies and saute until the onions turn pinkish (2-3 minutes), stirring frequently.
Add 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic and saute until the onions turn light brown (2-3 minutes), stirring frequently.
Now add 2 tablespoon crushed cashews and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and saute for 3-4 seconds.
Add 8 oz (225 g) of cubed potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon sugar, and mix well.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring a few times.
Check for salt and add more if needed.
Add 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice and 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro, and toss well. Serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can skip adding onion and garlic to make this sabzi. The process and other ingredients will be the same.
Traditionally, this dish is prepared with regular potatoes, but you can make a healthier version of this sabzi with sweet potatoes too.
Boil, peel, and cube the sweet potatoes and follow the same process. The taste of the sabzi will be slightly sweeter because of the sweet potatoes.
To make this sabji in an Instant Pot, you will need raw potatoes instead of boiled potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes.
Press SAUTE and add oil to the pot.
Once the oil is hot, add mustard, cumin, asafetida, and curry leaves, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
Add onion, green chili peppers, ginger, and garlic, and fry for 6-8 minutes until the onions turn slightly brown.
Add crushed cashews and turmeric powder, then fry for 3-4 seconds.
Now add the cubed potatoes, salt, sugar, and ¼ cup of water, and mix well.
Close the pot lid and set the valve to the sealing position.
Press CANCEL and then press PRESSURE COOK. Set the timer to 5 minutes at thigh pressure.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
Press SAUTE and cook until all the remaining water is absorbed and the sabji is dry.
Add lime juice and chopped cilantro and toss well. Serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
Batata Bhaji tastes delicious with Puri or Bhakri. You can also serve it with Roti, Tawa Paratha, Laccha Paratha, Palak Puri, and Bedmi Puri.
Traditionally, it is served with hot Puffed Puri and Amarkhand, or Aamras, in summer.
I also like to serve it on the side whenever I make dal with steamed rice. You can also enjoy this with pav or dosa.
You can also use the leftover Batata Bhaji to make sandwiches, rolls, masala dosa, stuffed parathas, patties, etc.
Storage Suggestions
You can store this for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat it in a pan or microwave until it is nice and warm before serving.
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Recipe Card
Maharashtrian Potato Bhaji (Batata Bhaji)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or any other cooking oil)
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing) (skip for vegan)
- 10-12 whole curry leaves
- ½ cup thinly sliced onions
- 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons crushed cashew nuts (or crushed roasted peanuts)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 8 ounces boiled potatoes (225 g, peeled and cubed)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida, and curry leaves, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add onions and green chilies and saute until the onions turn pinkish (2-3 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Add ginger and garlic and saute until the onions turn light brown (2-3 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Now add cashews and turmeric powder and saute for 3-4 seconds.
- Now add potatoes, salt, and sugar, and mix well.
- Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring a few times in between.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Add lime juice and cilantro, and toss well. Serve hot.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!