Bhandare Wale Aloo ki Sabzi | Vrat Wale Alu ki Sabzi
This is the recipe for the famous North Indian potato dish called Bhandare Wale Aloo ki Sabzi. Sometimes also called Vrat Wale Alu ki Sabzi, this "no onion, no garlic" dish is served as a part of the Bhandara; the Sattvic meal served after a Pooja or Havan in North India.
Ingredients
- 3 Medium Size Potatoes (~250 gms)
To Be Ground
- 3 Medium Sized Tomatoes (~125 gms)
- 2-3 Green Chillies
- 1" Ginger (~1 tsp Grated)
Spices
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric
- 3/4 tsp Amchur or Dried Mango Powder
- 3/4 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder (Optional; Not to be added on fasting days)
Other Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Jeera, Cumin Seeds
- 1 Large Pinch Asafoetida, Hing
- 1 Handful Chopped Fresh Coriander
Instructions
Getting the Potatoes Ready
- Boil the potatoes. I pressure cook whole potatoes.
- Let them cool and peel them.
- Cut them into 1" pieces, or break by hand into large chunks.
Making the Tomato Paste
- Grind the tomato, green chillies, and ginger into a coarse paste.
Making the Bhandare Wale Aloo ki Sabzi
- In a heavy-bottomed vessel, heat the oil.
- Add the jeera and hing.
- Stir-fry till the jeera starts to change colour.
- Add the tomato paste and stir-fry till it dries out a bit. Traditionally, there is a lot more oil used and you fry the paste till the oil starts to ooze out from the sides.
- Add tumeric, coriander, amchur, and garam masala powders. If you are using red chilli powder, add it now.
- Mix well, and cook for a minute.
- Add the boiled potato and mix well.
- Add 1 to 1.25 cups water, salt and boil the Vrat Wale Alu ki Sabzi till it thickens a bit. You could also mash one or two pieces of the potato to thicken the gravy a bit.
- Turn off the heat and add the chopped coriander.
- Serve hot Bhandare Wale Aloo ki Sabzi with with Rajgira Puri, Singhare ke Atte ki Puri or then plain Puris or Rotis.