Aloo Tikka Masala/Grilled Potato Curry

Aloo tikka masala is my take on paneer tikka masala using aloo/potato instead of paneer (Indian cottage cheese). Small baby potatoes, marinated with aromatic Indian spices in a yogurt base are grilled on a pan with some oil till they are crispy and brown and then smothered in a spicy onion-tomato gravy/curry, tinged with more aromatic Indian spices. Those who love paneer tikka masala will surely love this!!

For a vegan option, use any non-daily yogurt or just some besan/chickpea flour in the marination and omit the yogurt totally in the dish. You could use coconut cream or coconut milk too instead.

Most Indians (and nowadays many people all over the world) love tandoori dishes (meat, chicken or vegetables grilled in a tandoor or oven). For people who do not have an oven or tandoor, pan frying is a very good option. I have grilled aloo tikka in a pan. After marinating the potatoes, they are pan grilled to perfection and then dunked in a spicy gravy with cashews (to give it a rich flavor and thickness).

Aloo tikka (without the gravy) can be served as a starter too!! While I was grilling the potatoes, the aroma was so good, my husband and my mother both had a few pieces of the aloo tikka even before I could put them in the gravy!! Wrap it in a flatbread or tortilla along with some chutney, sauce or mayonnaise along with some freshly sliced onions and tomatoes and you have a quick vegetarian tikka wrap!!

This potato tikka curry goes best with rotis, naans, chapattis (all different types of Indian flatbreads) and sometimes even with steamed rice or jeera/cumin rice.

UPDATED MAY 2022:

Almost forgot this curry having made it a long time ago.

But when my online grocer sent me small potatoes instead of the regular large ones, I was reminded of this delicious curry I had made and of course had to make it again.

Paired this super delicious aloo tikka masala curry with some Chili and Garlic Methi Laccha Parathas, (just sprinkled finely chopped garlic and green chilies in between the layers while making the laccha parathas), some leftover Mixed Greens Masiyal from the previous day and a simple mixed salad.

Hope you get to try this delicious and easy restaurant style aloo tikka masala soon and if you do, please do not forget to share your thoughts and comments in the box below (please give a rating) and/or share on my instagram handle (@curryandvanilla16, #curryandvanilla16) and also on my Facebook page.

I would love to see your beautiful creations and versions.

For more curry recipes, please do check: 

• Matar paneer masala
• Mushroom matar malai
• Amritsari chole etc.
• Print

  Yum

  Aloo Tikka Masala/Grilled Potato Curry

  Prep Time: 30 minutes

  Cook Time: 30 minutes

  Serving Size: 6

  

  Aloo tikka masala; spicy marinated potatoes, grilled to perfection in a pan and smothered in thick aromatic onion-tomato-cashew gravy!!! No more craving for restaurant tikka masala!!

  Ingredients

  • 10 to 15 baby potatoes
  FOR THE MARINADE:
  • 2 tablespoons yogurt (can use dairy-free yogurt too or coconut cream)
  • 2 teaspoons besan/Bengal gram flour (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste (or grated fresh)
  • Salt to taste
  FOR THE GRAVY:
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 big tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 green chilies/jalapenos, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 4 to 5 cloves
  • 1 small piece cinnamon
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 8 to 10 cashew nuts
  • ¼ cup of yogurt (Optional)
  • ½ teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon hing/asafoetida powder
  • 2 tablespoons of tomato puree (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
  • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
  • ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder
  • 4 tablespoons oil
  • 1 tablespoon ghee/clarified butter (or more oil)
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • Dried fenugreek leaves for garnishing

  Instructions

  1. Wash the potatoes and place in pressure cooker with water. Cook for one whistle (or two if the potatoes are bigger). Let the pressure drop by itself. Check and see if the potatoes are cooked (do not overcook them).
  2. Once the potatoes are fairly cool, peel and keep aside.
  TO PREPARE THE MARINADE FOR POTATOES:
  3. In a small bowl, mix the yogurt (or coconut cream/non-dairy yogurt), besan, red chili powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt to taste and mix well.
  4. Stir in the peeled potatoes and gently mix to coat them evenly.
  5. Cover and keep aside to marinate for at least half an hour.
  TO MAKE THE GRAVY:
  6. In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add the dry spices (cloves, cardamom and cinnamon) and sauté for a few seconds till they release an aroma.
  7. Tip in the onions and green chilies along with a little bit of salt and sauté for a few minutes till the onions are soft.
  8. Stir in the spice powders (coriander powder and chili powder) and mix well.
  9. Add the tomatoes and cashews and fry for a few minutes till the tomatoes are slightly soft.
  10. Stir in a few tablespoons of water, mix well and cook covered for a few minutes till the tomatoes are soft and the spices are well incorporated.
  11. Remove from flame and let cool.
  12. When cool, place in a blender container and add ¼ cup of yogurt or water. Blend well to a fine paste.
  TO MAKE THE ALOO/POTATO TIKKAS:
  13. In a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of ghee or 2 tablespoons oil if vegan.
  14. Once it becomes hot, add the marinated potatoes and keep stirring on high for about 1 minute.
  15. Reduce the heat to medium low, and keep sautéing the potatoes for a few minutes, stirring often till the potatoes are cooked well and begin to get brown and crispy all over. Once the potato tikkas are ready, remove from flame and keep aside.
  TO MAKE THE GRAVY:
  16. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil.
  17. Once it becomes hot, add the jeera and hing and stir for a few seconds.
  18. Add the tomato puree and sauté for a few seconds on high.
  19. Stir in the blended tomato-onion puree, chilli powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, sugar and salt to taste; mix well. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes.
  20. Add some water (about ½ to 1 cup depending upon how thick or thin you want your gravy). Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes.
  21. After 5 minutes, stir in the aloo tikkas and mix gently.
  22. Bring to a boil, simmer for about 2 minutes, check for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
  23. Remove from flame and serve hot, garnished with crushed dried fenugreek leaves (or coriander leaves).

  Notes

  If you do not have baby potatoes, you can use regular potatoes (boil and cut them into pieces).

  The same recipe can be prepared using paneer too, to make paneer tikka masala.

  For a vegan option, you can omit yogurt and use coconut cream or even coconut milk in the marination.

  The amount of chili powder and green chilies can be adjusted according to your taste.

  Instead of cashew nuts, you can use almonds too as a thickener for the gravy or a combination of both.

  You can prepare aloo tikkas and serve them hot as a starter/appetizer or even in a wrap (rolled in a roti or chapatti or tortilla smeared with any green chutney or mayonnaise with some freshly sliced onions and tomatoes)!

  Enjoy!

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Step-wise Method to make Aloo Tikka Masala:

Wash the potatoes and place in pressure cooker with water. Cook for one whistle (or two if the potatoes are bigger). Let the pressure drop by itself. Check and see if the potatoes are cooked (do not overcook them).

Once the potatoes are cool, peel and keep aside.

To prepare the marinade for the potatoes:

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, besan, red chili powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt to taste and mix well. For a vegan option, you can use any non-daily yogurt or even coconut cream/milk to make the marinade.

Stir in the peeled potatoes and gently mix to coat them evenly.

Cover and keep aside to marinate for at least half an hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the gravy:

Keep the ingredients ready.

In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add the dry spices (cloves, cardamom and cinnamon) and sauté for a few seconds till they release an aroma.

Tip in the onions and green chilies along with a little bit of salt and sauté for a few minutes till the onions are soft.

Stir in the spice powders (coriander powder and chili powder) and mix well.

Add the tomatoes and cashews and fry for a few minutes till the tomatoes are slightly soft.

Stir in a few tablespoons of water, mix well and cook covered for a few minutes till the tomatoes are soft and the spices are well incorporated.

Remove from flame and let cool.

When cool, place in a blender jar and add ¼ cup of yogurt (or water). Blend well to a fine paste.

Now, let us make the aloo/potato tikkas:

In a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of ghee.

Once it becomes hot, add the marinated potatoes and keep stirring on high for about 1 minute.

Reduce the heat to medium low, and keep sauteing the potatoes for a few minutes, stirring often till the potatoes are cooked well and begin to get brown and crispy all over.  Once the potato tikkas are ready, remove from flame and keep aside.

To prepare the gravy:

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil.

Once it becomes hot, add the jeera and hing and stir for a few seconds.

Add the tomato puree (optional again) and sauté for a few seconds on high.

Stir in the blended tomato-onion puree, chilli powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, sugar and salt to taste; mix well. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add some water (about ½ to 1 cup depending upon how thick or thin you want your gravy). Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, stir in the aloo tikkas and mix gently.

 

Bring to a boil, simmer for about 2 minutes, check for seasonings and adjust accordingly.

Remove from flame and serve hot, garnished with crushed dried fenugreek leaves (or coriander leaves).

Enjoy hot, spicy and mouth watering aloo tikka  masala curry with rotis, naans, parathas or even some hot steamed rice!

Happy Cooking!

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