Aloo Matar
Potatoes & peas in onion-tomato gravy
Ingredients
- 3 Potatoes
- 200 g Frozen peas
- 1 Onion
- 2 Tomato
- 1 Ginger
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- ½ tsp Ground turmeric
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- ½ tsp Red chili powder
- 3 tbsp Neutral oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 240 g Basmati rice
Method
- Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear, then cook it in twice its volume of water, covered, until tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- Cube the potatoes, then grate the onion, tomato, and ginger.
- Crackle the cumin in the oil, then fry the onion until golden.
- Add the tomato, ginger, turmeric, and chili powder and cook, stirring, until the mixture cooks down into a thick paste.
- Stir in the potatoes, peas, and water, then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Finish with the garam masala off the heat.
- Serve with rice or roti.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Aloo Matar
Aloo matar is a quick North Indian curry of potatoes and peas in a spiced onion-tomato gravy — one of the most dependable everyday dishes in the Indian home cook's repertoire, made from ingredients almost always on hand. Unlike the drier aloo gobi, this one keeps a proper gravy, loose enough to spoon over rice or scoop with roti, which makes it a natural centerpiece for a simple weeknight meal. It's vegan, forgiving, and comes together in around half an hour, which is much of its enduring appeal.
The character of the dish comes from its base: grating the onion, tomato, and ginger rather than chopping them means they melt down fast into a thick, smooth paste, cutting the usual cooking time and giving the gravy an even, cohesive body. Cumin crackled in oil at the start sets the aromatic tone, turmeric and chili powder build color and warmth, and a final pinch of garam masala stirred in off the heat keeps its fragrance intact rather than cooking it away. The potatoes turn soft and starchy, thickening the sauce further, while sweet peas add pops of freshness and color throughout. It's honest, gently spiced comfort food — the kind of quick curry that turns a bag of potatoes and a handful of frozen peas into dinner.
Aloo Matar: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Aloo Matar?
A serving has about 477 calories — 10.6g protein, 82.1g carbs, 12g fat, 7.2g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Aloo Matar gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Aloo Matar has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Aloo Matar take to make?
About 30 minutes start to finish, but only around 21 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
How many servings does Aloo Matar make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.