CHATPATA ALOO TUK/SMASHED INDIAN SPICED POTATOES

Chatpata Aloo Tuk - spiced with aromatic, exotic Indian spices, these pan-roasted, smashed potatoes are an easy side dish for any meal!

Who doesn’t love potatoes? Fried, roasted, baked, air fried or mashed, it tastes awesome! The new trend is “smashed potatoes”, popular in USA (also called “crash potatoes” in Australia)!

Indians too love potatoes/aloo, either fried like in pakoras, aloo tikki, aloo bonda, in samosas or in curries like aloo dum, aloo gobi etc.

I have taken a simple Indian Sindhi dish “Aloo Tuk” and made an Indian version of smashed or crash potatoes!

WHAT IS CRASHED/SMASHED POTATOES?

Whatever you may call it; smashed or crash, it is basically baby potatoes boiled until tender, then crushed or smashed slightly (with the skin on) and seasoned with your favorite spices. These are then roasted in oil on a medium fire (or baked if you prefer) until crispy on the outside and fluffy and super delicious on the inside!

WHAT IS ALOO TUK?

The Indian version called “aloo tuk” is a Sindhi style preparation where potatoes are boiled, smashed gently and then either deep fried or shallow fried with some amazing Indian spices to perfection!

This slow roasting creates a lovely crispy texture to the exterior but retains a nice soft and tender inside infused with all those beautiful spices/masalas! I have sort of created my Indian version of crash/smashed potatoes using my favorite Indian spices!

What stands out in this dish is that the potatoes are cooked with the skin still intact! I have used baby potatoes for an even more heavenly experience. No laborious peeling involved!

Using these cute small potatoes ensures that the spices have reached every part of the fluffy interiors and adds to the taste as the outside also turns out incredibly super crispy without losing any of the nutrients too!

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

My favorite way of enjoying these crisp-skinned spicy potatoes is as a wonderful and tasty accompaniment to dal and rice! You may serve it as an appetizer or starter at any party too and makes a great side dish for any occasion!

The best part is, you can make this ahead of time and keep it warm in the oven until serving time!

These are everything potatoes should be: crisp-skinned yet soft and fluffy, infused with a generous amount of your favorite spices.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Here are some more delicious potato delights you can make and enjoy:

Aloo Tikka Masala Curry
Aloo Gobi
Spicy Aloo Fry
Aloo Bonda
Kashmiri Dum Aloo Curry (no onion, no garlic)
Spicy Oven-baked French Fries

Yum

CHATPATA ALOO TUK/SMASHED INDIAN SPICED POTATOES

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serving Size: 4

Crispy, smashed, pan-roasted Indian spiced potatoes; an easy side dish for any meal!

Ingredients

Small baby Potatoes, about 25 to 30
1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp red chilli powder/cayenne powder/paprika
½ tsp hing/asafetida powder (optional but mostly used in Indian potato curries)
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
¼ cup oil (or more if needed later on)
Finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions

TO PREPARE THE POTATOES:

Wash, clean and scrub baby potatoes until all dirt has been removed.
Pressure cook them or boil in a pan of water until just cooked. If you insert a knife inside, it should easily go through all the way. Do not overcook! Drain and let cool slightly.
Smash each boiled potato (with skins) using a potato masher or better yet, the back of a flat-bottomed bowl or measuring cup.
Gently smash to crush but not all the way as to mash them up, keeping them as intact as possible!

TO MAKE THE INDIAN SPICED SMASHED POTATOES:

Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium high heat, preferably with a flatter bottom.
Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle; a few seconds.
Dump in the other spices; coriander powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, hing etc. and give it a good stir. Let the spices fry in the oil for a few seconds, stirring constantly.
Add or layer the smashed, boiled potatoes over the hot, spiced oil. Cover the bottom of the pan and up the sides (if they don’t fit the bottom) with the smashed potatoes. Sprinkle some salt all over the potatoes! (If you find it difficult, do this in batches, until the bottom turns golden, about 4 to 6 minutes and then flip gently with a spatula, adding more oil if needed to crisp up the other side).
Lower heat to medium and after a few minutes, gently flip or turn each potato to soak them in the spices on the other side too. Let them simmer and crisp up for a few minutes.
If needed, flip again gently to make sure each and every potato is crispy on both the sides and the spices have permeated throughout them. Keep the flame on medium throughout and make sure they do not burn.
Once the spiced potatoes are crispy, golden brown and roasted on both sides, remove from pan.
Serve hot, spicy, crispy, golden brown, Indian spiced pan-roasted smashed potatoes garnished with a shower of finely chopped cilantro!
These potatoes go great as a side dish with any meal; lunch, dinner, get-togethers, holidays etc.!
Enjoy and Happy Roasting!

Notes

Once roasted, these can be placed in a warm oven to keep crispy and hot until serving.

Adjust the spices and the amount according to taste.

You can use any favorite spice you like to flavor up these pan-roasted smashed potatoes.

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STEP-BY-STEP METHOD TO MAKE CHATPATA ALOO TUK:

TO PREPARE THE POTATOES:

Wash, clean and scrub baby potatoes until all dirt has been removed.

Pressure cook them or boil in a pan of water until just cooked. If you insert a knife inside, it should easily go through all the way. Do not overcook! Drain and let cool slightly.

Smash each boiled potato (with skins) using a potato masher or better yet, the back of a flat-bottomed bowl or measuring cup.

Gently smash to crush but not all the way as to mash them up, keeping them as intact as possible!

TO MAKE THE ALOO TUK/INDIAN SPICED SMASHED POTATOES:

Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium high heat, preferably with a flatter bottom

Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle; a few seconds.

Dump in the other spices; coriander powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, hing etc. and give it a good stir. Let the spices fry in the oil for a few seconds, stirring constantly.

Add or layer the smashed, boiled potatoes over the hot, spiced oil. Cover the bottom of the pan and up the sides (if they don’t fit the bottom) with the smashed potatoes. Sprinkle some salt all over the potatoes!

(If you find it difficult, do this in batches, until the bottom turns golden, about 4 to 6 minutes and then flip gently with a spatula, adding more oil if needed to crisp up the other side).

Lower heat to medium and after a few minutes, gently flip or turn each potato to soak them in the spices on the other side too. Let them simmer and crisp up for a few minutes.

If needed, flip again gently to make sure each and every potato is crispy on both the sides and the spices have permeated throughout them. Keep the flame on medium throughout and make sure they do not burn.

Once the spiced potatoes are crispy, golden brown and roasted on both sides, remove from pan.