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Poori Masala is a South Indian dish of curried potatoes made to serve as a side with Poori or Puri, an Indian fried bread. Poori masala also known as poori curry is made with boiled potatoes, onions, tomatoes, whole spices and curry leaves. Surprisingly this is one of those dishes made with minimum spices yet it tastes super delicious and flavorsome. In this post I share how to make Poori Masala in a kadai/ pan on the stovetop and also in an instant pot.
You can also serve this with roti, dosa or any flatbreads.
Poori is a staple Breakfast eaten all over India and is served with a side of potato curry, Veg Kurma, Chana Masala, Halwa and Shrikhand. However a curried dish of potatoes is the most loved.
This South Indian poori masala, Maharashtrian puri bhaji, North Indian aloo sabzi and Karnataka Potato sagu all are variations of the potato curry that is eaten with poori. All these taste very different from each other.
My recipe helps you make poori masala that tastes almost the same as served in Hotels & Tiffin places in Karnataka. Curry leaves, green chilies and fresh ginger is what makes this dish unique, flavorsome and delicious.
About Poori Masala
Poori Masala is made similar to the Potato Masala (dosa aloo) but differs in the texture and flavor as tomatoes are added here. Dosa aloo is more of a thicker consistency than this poori masala, which has a more gravy like consistency.
The conventional method to make this dish starts by boiling the potatoes until soft. A basic tempering is made with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chilies and ginger. Onions are sautéed to bring out the sweet tones, to which ripe tomatoes are added.
When the tomatoes break down, the mashed potatoes are simmered with this. Simple yet So delicious!
To make this in the instant pot, we simply reverse and make the tempering first. Add the potatoes and pressure cook. I have been making this way a lot as the entire dish gets done hands free while you make the pooris. You can find the instructions for the same in the recipe card below.
How to Make Poori Masala (Stepwise photos)
Preparation
1. Wash, peel and cube 450 grams (1 pound) potatoes. Add them to a pressure cook along with 1 cup water. Cook for 1 whistle on a medium flame. You may also place them in a bowl, pour water and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles.
If you want you may also cook them in a pot. Add the potatoes to a pot and pour 1 cup water. On a high heat, bring the water to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the potatoes are soft cooked.
2. The potatoes must be cooked well to a soft and slightly mushy texture. Keep the cooked potatoes aside along with the stock (water used to cook potatoes).
Temper
3. Heat a pan with 2 tablespoons oil. Add ¾tablespoon chana dal, ¾tablespoon urad dal, ¾ to 1 cumin seeds and ½teaspoon mustard.
4. The spices will splutter and slowly the lentils will turn golden. At this stage, add 1 sprig curry leaves and 2 to 4 green chilies (adjust to taste). If you have kids at home, use deseeded chilies.
5. When the curry leaves will turn crisp, add a pinch of hing (optional), ¾ to 1 tablespoon ginger and 1 cup sliced onions. Saute until the onions become transparent/ pink and lose the raw flavor.
6. Add ½ to ¾cup tomatoes, ½teaspoon salt and ⅛ to ¼teaspoon turmeric.
7. Saute until tomatoes turn completely mushy & lose the raw flavor.
Make Poori Masala
8. Add the boiled potatoes. Pour the stock/water left in the cooker/pot used for cooking potatoes.
9. Gently mash some of the potatoes to help thicken the curry. Retain some of the potato cubes to keep the curry chunky. Add more hot water if required to adjust the consistency. I used about half cup more. Taste test and more salt if required.
10. Cover and cook on a low flame for 3 to 4 minutes or until the poori masala turns thick. Add chopped coriander leaves. Mix and keep covered until served. If you want you may sprinkle some lemon juice.
Serve Poori masala with Poori.
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Recipe Card
Poori Masala
Simple poori curry made using boiled potatoes, onions, tomatoes, curry leaves and spices. This curry can also be served with roti, paratha or any flatbread.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Prep Time10 minutes minutes
Cook Time20 minutes minutes
Total Time30 minutes minutes
Servings4
AuthorSwasthi
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 450 grams potatoes ( diced, 1 pound, 5 medium potatoes)
- 1 cup water (to cook potatoes)
- 1 cup sliced onions (or 1 large onion)
- ½ to ¾ cup tomatoes (1 large, deseeded & chopped)
- ¾ to 1 tablespoon ginger (fine chopped)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ¾ tablespoon chana dal (bengal gram, skinned split chickpeas)
- ¾ tablespoon urad dal (skinned black gram)
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 to 4 green chili (slit or chopped, adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 pinch hing (asafoetida)
- ¼ to ½ cup water (or as needed, to adjust the consistency)
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (chopped)
Spices
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon turmeric (haldi, as needed)
Instructions
Preparation
Wash potatoes under running water. Peel and dice them to 1 inch.Add them to a pressure cooker or regular pot and pour 1 cup water.
Pressure cook for 1 whistle on a medium flame, until soft and slightly mushy. If cooking in a pot, bring the water to a rolling boil on a high heat, reduce and cook until they are soft. If required add more boiling water.
While the potatoes cook, slice the onions, chop the tomatoes, ginger & green chilies,
How to Make Poori Masala
Pour oil to a pan and heat it.Add cumin, mustard, chana dal and urad dal. Fry until the lentils turn golden and aromatic.
Stir in the curry leaves and green chilies. Fry till leaves turn crisp. Sprinkle hing.
Add onions and ginger. Saute them on a medium heat until they lose the raw flavor & turn pink.
Add tomatoes, turmeric and salt. Cook stirring often until the tomatoes turn mushy and the raw smell has gone completely.
Transfer the cooked potatoes along with the water (potato stock).Mash them slightly to make it a thick curry. If required pour some hot water to bring it to a consistency.
Taste test and add more salt and green chili if required.
Mix well. Cook covered for 3 to 4 minutes until the curry reaches a thick consistency.
Sprinkle coriander leaves.Serve poori masala with hot Pooris. If you want you may squeeze some lemon juice.
Instant Pot Poori Masala
Pour oil to the steel insert of the Instant pot. Press the saute button. When the oil turns hot, add mustard, cumin, chana dal and urad dal.
Saute until lightly golden. Stir in curry leaves, ginger, green chilies & hing.
Add onions and saute for 2 to 3 mins until transparent. Add tomatoes, salt and turmeric.
Saute until the tomatoes lose their raw flavor for 2 to 3 mins. Press cancel.
Add potatoes and pour 1 cup water. Deglaze and pressure cook for 4 mins. Release the pressure immediately. Mash some of the potatoes to thicken the curry. (check pics in the post). Taste test and add more salt if required.
Poori masala is not a dry curry so it should be like a thick gravy consistency. If the consistency is too thick pour some hot water and mix well.
Sprinkle coriander leaves and lemon juice. Serve with Poori.
Notes
- You can also use half cup of green peas and capsicum if you like.
- Lentils are added for a nutty aroma and texture. You may skip if you don’t have them.
- 10 whole cashews (20 split) can also be added to the tempering along with lentils.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
Nutrition Facts
Poori Masala
Amount Per Serving
Calories 113Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 0.03g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Sodium 380mg17%
Potassium 206mg6%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 244IU5%
Vitamin C 24mg29%
Calcium 37mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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© Swasthi’s Recipes
Poori masala recipe first published in March 2018. Updated & republished in July 2022.
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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