Stuffed Potatoes Curry - 1
Bharwa Aloo Rasedar -1
Yashoda Gupta
Note from Mamta: Bharwa aloo can be made in many different ways. This is the way my mum Yashoda used to cook it for special occasions. The fillings would change depending on season and what was available. As children, we used to love to help her prepare the stuffed potatoes, holding the two halves together with toothpicks.
You can use other stuffing for this, like Paneer Cheese Keema, Keema, mashed and spiced fish.
Edited December 2022
Ingredients
1 kg potatoes. Select potatoes of even sizes
Oil for deep frying potatoes
For the filling
3 tbsp. cooking oil
2-3 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp. frozen spinach or fresh spinach leaves cooked, drained and mashed
4-5 green chillies
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
2 tsp. coriander powder
Salt to taste
1-2 tbsp. oil or ghee
For the gravy
Any curry gravy of your choice. See Basic Curry Sauce.
A handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped.
Instructions
To prepare the potatoes:
Peel potatoes, cut the tops off and scoop out the inside with a melon-baller or a scoop. Save the tops for using as lids later.
Heat oil in a wok or karahii and fry potatoes and their tops until half cooked and golden brown in colour on the outside. Keep aside.
Making stuffing:
Grind the onions, ginger, green chillies, scooped-out insides of the potatoes and all the spices in a food processor. You can finely chopp them by hand.
Heat 1-2 tbsp. oil in a wok or karahi and fry all above ingredients and spinach until all liquid is evaporated. Cool.
Divide the stuffing into as many portions as you have potatoes.
Stuff each potato with this mixture, place the top and hold it in place with a tooth pick or tie it with a cotton thread. Toothpick is easier to remove when eating.
Preparing the final curry
Place potatoes in a heavy bottomed dish.
Heat the curry gravy you have made. You can add any left over stuffing mix to the gravy, as seen in picture. The gravy should be thick, custard like, clingy.
Pour the heated curry gravy over and cook on medium heat until potatoes are ready. I often place them in an ovenproof dish and cook in a preheated (200C or 400F, gas mark 6-7) for 20 minutes.
Do not stir too much or you will break the potatoes.
Turn heat off and sprinkle garam masala.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with Chapatties or Plain Parathas.
Notes
You can add a couple of tablespoons of grated paneer or Indian cheese to the filling.
You can add a small bunch of chopped methi or fenugreek leaves to the stuffing.
You can use mince meat stuffing if you prefer.
