A quick, comforting, and flavorful one-pot potato curry made with soft cooking potatoes, aromatic spices, and fresh curry leaves. This easy vegan curry uses simple ingredients, cooks in one pot, and delivers a rich, homestyle flavor in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 6 medium-small soft cooking potatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 tomato
- 1 sprig curry leaf
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 3 1/2 tsp mixed Kashmiri chilli powder
- +/-2 cups water (as needed)
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp vadouvan (optional)
- Parsely or coriander to garnish
Instructions
- Peel and cube the potatoes evenly, finely chop the onion, and chop the tomato. Measure out your spices and have the curry leaves ready.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and sauté until golden and fragrant.
- Stir in the vadouvan (if using) and fry for 20–30 seconds.
- Add the curry leaves and let them sizzle in the oil.
- Add in the turmeric and Kashmiri chilli powder and stir for a minute or two to bloom the spices.
- Pour in the water to stop the spices from burning and to form the curry base.
- Add the cubed potatoes and spread them evenly in the pot.
- Place the chopped tomato on top of the potatoes. Do not mix, as this helps the potatoes cook evenly and prevents the tomato from burning.
- Cover the pot with a lid and cook on medium heat until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.
- Open the lid, stir gently, and season with salt to taste.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or coriander before serving.
Notes
1. Use soft cooking potatoes: Soft cooking potatoes break down slightly as they simmer. This helps create a naturally thick gravy. They also cook much faster, which makes this a perfect weeknight recipe.
2. Keep an eye on the water level: Potatoes absorb water as they cook. You may need to add a splash more during the simmering stage to prevent the curry from drying out. Add hot water little by little until you reach your desired consistency.
3. Don't mix the tomatoes in too early: Let the chopped tomato rest on top of the potatoes. This keeps the tomato from burning and it also softens slowly, which helps the potatoes cook evenly and creates a richer gravy.