Skip to content

Vegetarian, South and Southeast Asian

Aloo matar and puris

Aloo matar and puris is an Indian dish for 4 people, ready in 1 hour, medium difficulty, about €1.40 per person. It's potatoes and peas simmered in a spiced tomato sauce, served with puris, small flatbreads that puff up when fried. The key is a thinly rolled dough and oil hot enough for the puris to balloon instantly.

A simple aloo matar tonight, potatoes and peas in a tomato sauce, with puffy puris that always impress.

Aloo matar and puris
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€1.40
Calories per person
670 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Aloo matar is a mild tomato sauce where the potatoes turn soft and the peas keep a bit of bite. Cumin and turmeric season it gently, and garam masala goes in at the end to wake everything up. It's a comforting dish, perfect for a cold evening in fall or winter when you want a warm, meat free dinner.

The puris bring the fun part, those little dough rounds that puff up like balloons in hot oil always get smiles at the table, kids included. Mon Chou loves this pairing because it turns a simple meal into a bit of a show, no special equipment needed. It's a good one to make on a Sunday, when you have time to fry the puris one by one.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 600 g
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves

Frozen foods

  • Frozen peas 250 g

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Cumin seedsoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Garam masalaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Whole wheat flouroften in the pantry 250 g
  • Oiloften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix the flour with a pinch of salt, two tablespoons of oil, and enough warm water to form a firm dough, knead it and let it rest. 20 min

    Cover the dough with a damp cloth so it doesn't dry out.

  2. Heat a little oil with the cumin seeds, add the sliced onion and garlic, then the diced potatoes. 8 min

    Cut the potatoes into even 2 cm cubes.

  3. Add the tomatoes, turmeric, garam masala, salt, and a glass of water, cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender. 15 min

    Mash two pieces of potato to thicken the sauce.

  4. Add the peas at the end of cooking and let them cook for a few more minutes. 4 min

    No need to thaw them, they cook directly in the sauce.

  5. Roll the dough into small thin rounds and drop them one by one into very hot oil until they puff up and turn golden. 10 min

    Press them gently with a slotted spoon under the oil, they puff up faster.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the potatoes into even sized cubes so they all cook at the same rate, otherwise some stay firm while others fall apart.
  • Roll the puri dough out very thin, a thick dough won't puff up properly when fried.
  • Keep the frying oil at a steady temperature by frying the puris one at a time, if it cools down they soak up oil instead of puffing.

The variations

  • Swap the peas for green beans cut into small pieces, they add a bit more bite to the sauce.
  • For a quicker version, serve the potatoes and peas with store bought flatbread instead of making puris from scratch.
  • For kids who prefer milder food, cut the garam masala in half and keep just the cumin and turmeric.

What to serve it with

  • Plain basmati rice
  • Plain yogurt to cool it down
  • A warm cup of chai

Storage

Aloo matar keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container and reheats gently in a saucepan with a splash of water. It freezes well for up to 2 months. The puris are best eaten the same day, they soften quickly and don't freeze well.

Questions about this dish

Can you use white flour instead of whole wheat for the puris?

Yes, white flour works just as well and gives slightly lighter puris. Whole wheat flour just adds a bit more flavor and structure to the dough.

Can you make the puri dough ahead of time?

You can make it up to 2 hours ahead and keep it covered with a damp cloth at room temperature. After that, it becomes harder to roll out thin.

How do you know the oil is hot enough for the puris?

Drop a small piece of dough in, it should rise and sizzle right away. If the oil isn't hot enough, the puris stay flat and soak up too much oil.

Can you cook frozen peas straight from frozen?

Yes, that's actually recommended here. They cook in just a few minutes directly in the hot sauce and keep a better texture that way.

How long does it take to make an aloo matar with puris?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in an aloo matar with puris?

About 670 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does an aloo matar with puris cost?

About €1.40 per serving, or €5.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

South and Southeast Asian Cuisines

See all

Recipes with potatoes

See all