Best ever Bombay potato recipe by Anjum Anand
Bombay potatoes – a.k.a. Bombay aloo – is a classic Indian side dish that tastes divine and is really easy to make at home. All you need to do is cube some Maris Piper-style potatoes (in practice, that means any potato with a fluffy internal texture), boil them, and then fry them in a mixture of spices. Like many curry recipes, there’s lots of room for flexibility, so don’t agonise if you don’t have the exact mix of spices specified here (although we think it works pretty well). Feel free to substitute in your favourites, or whatever tried-and-tested spice mixes you find work well for your palate. Zingy and hugely moreish, there’s a good reason why it is one of the most popular potato recipes we’ve come across in aeons.
Many people think of Bombay aloo as a side rather than a dish in its own right, but it’s worth reconsidering it as an all-around spicy snack to make and have in reserve for pretty much any occasion. Make slightly more than you actually need for your meal, then keep them handy to add into anything from salads to lunch boxes, all the better to bring a bit of extra flavour to the mix. (This recipe is also a great way to use up any old potatoes you have lying around on the cusp of turning.)
Finally, remember that you can make them a little more special by whipping some yoghurt sauce, tamarind and fresh coriander over the top, not unlike aloo chaat. A green chutney, mango chutney or any favourite Indian sauce will take them up a further notch.
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Bombay potatoes recipe extracted from Anjum’s Indian Vegetarian Feast by Anjum Anand, published by Quadrille (£19.99, hardback). Photos ©Emma Lee
