Potato & Vegetable Curry

This is a dry-style Indian curry where the spices coat the potatoes directly instead of swimming in a sauce. Seven ground spices go into the oil first, blooming their flavor before the potatoes get added and fried until they’re tender and golden with a turmeric-stained crust.

Coriander, turmeric, cumin, ginger, dry mustard, red pepper flakes, and curry powder build the spice profile in layers. Sauteing them in oil before adding the water is what activates their essential oils. Raw spices sprinkled on at the end would taste flat and powdery by comparison.

The broccoli and carrots go in only after the potatoes are nearly done. This staggered timing keeps the vegetables crisp-tender instead of turning them to mush during the long potato cook. A lid on the pot for the final simmer steams everything through.

No coconut milk, no cream, no tomatoes. This is a lighter, cleaner-tasting curry that lets the spices and vegetables do the talking. Serve it over rice or tossed with pasta.

Chef Tips

• Saute the spices until fragrant, about 30 seconds. If they start to smoke or darken, the oil is too hot and the spices will taste bitter.
• Stir the potatoes often while they fry. The spice coating can stick to the pan if you leave them too long between stirs.
• Leave the potato skins on. They add texture and hold the potato pieces together better than peeled cubes, which tend to crumble.
• Add water gradually if the pan gets too dry before the potatoes are cooked through. You’re not making a soup, just preventing sticking.

Variations

• Add chickpeas: Toss in a drained can of chickpeas with the broccoli for extra protein and a heartier meal.
• Coconut curry version: Add half a can of coconut milk when you add the water for a richer, saucier curry.