Indian Bombay Potatoes and Peas

Indian Bombay Potatoes and Peas is a comforting, one-pot dish with flavorful spices. It’s the perfect sharing dish. Try making it at home!

Bombay Potatoes and Peas, or Bombay Aloo Matar, is a classic dish from India that’s easy to make with simple, hearty ingredients. The amazing potato curry makes the perfect comfort food Side Dish to classic Indian main dishes or you can serve it with a side of Roti and Vegetable Biryani for a quick vegetarian meal.

Sabrina’s Indian Bombay Potatoes and Peas Recipe

If you enjoy the robust flavors of Indian food but want an everyday recipe without any complicated steps, this curry potato dish is for you! It tastes so delicious you’d think that you spent all day on it, but it’s ready in under 30 minutes! It’s basically a simple boiled potatoes and peas that gets a quick punch of unbelievable flavor from classic Indian spices.

Recipe Card

About this Recipe

By adding the right spices you can get amazing depths of flavor that tastes like you ordered Indian takeout. My Indian Bombay Potatoes and Peas recipe uses fresh ginger, mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, cayenne pepper, and garlic. The basic spices are all common ingredients in Indian cuisine and make rich, spicy potatoes, with comforting warm yet slightly sweet flavors.

Chef’s Note:

Garam Masala is a special and complex blend of intense spices. I’d highly recommend getting a small jar from your local grocery store. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can try making your own with a mix of equal parts ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cardamom, ground cloves, and ground black pepper (1 teaspoon of each). You can also add ground mace, fennel, or bay leaf to taste. While it won’t taste exactly like authentic garam masala, it works in a pinch and might just be your own personal favorite spice blend!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes: Yukon potatoes strike a great texture balance between fluffy and waxy. By boiling them, they get soft, but not overly mushy. They have a mild sweet taste that goes great with all the warm spices in the recipe ingredients.
• 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter or Ghee: Ghee is preferred for its authentic taste, but is easily substituted with butter. Substitute with equal parts coconut oil to make it vegan.
• 2 teaspoons Yellow Mustard Seeds: These are a staple in curry bases and provide a slight tang and crunch. Substitute mustard powder if needed. If using mustard powder instead of yellow mustard seeds, use 1 teaspoon of mustard powder.
• 2 teaspoons Cumin Seeds: The warm earthiness from cumin seeds is found all over India. 1 teaspoon of ground cumin can be used instead for a bit less intense flavor.
• 2 teaspoons Ground Turmeric: Turmeric adds an incredibly vibrant yellow color. It is a bitter spice that adds a fresh earthy flavor when cooked.
• 1 tablespoon Ground Coriander: Coriander has a lemony flavor you can’t skip out on. It is a great herby spice to balance out warmer spices.
• 1 tablespoon Garam Masala: Garam Masala is a traditional Indian spice blend of warm and sweet fragrant spices like nutmeg, cloves, cumin, mace, cardamon, and bay leaf. It varies depending on brands, so check the ingredients and grab a ground spice blend you like best.
• ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper: Cayenne pepper is spicy so only use a little bit. If you don’t like spicy food, reduce to an ⅛ teaspoon or leave it out entirely.
• 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt: Table salt can be used if you don’t have the flaky kosher kind, but only use 1 teaspoon. You can always add more later if needed.
• 4 cloves Garlic: Fresh garlic is needed for an authentic taste and adds a pungent, aromatic depth. Garlic powder can be used instead if needed. Substitute the fresh with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
• 1 tablespoon Ginger: The spicy sweetness of ginger pairs with garlic and brightens the dish. Plus, freshly minced is more aromatic and fun to smell while cooking. A premade paste is easy and works great for flavor too.
• 16 ounces Green Peas: Peas are a vegetable commonly found in Indian cooking. They add a fresh taste to the dish, and by adding them into the dish later they keep their nice plump texture. Fresh peas can be used if available, but they should be blanched first.

Can This Be Made in Advance?

Yes, you can make this ahead. Prepare as directed and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave when ready to serve.

How to Serve

Traditionally Indian cuisine is served family style with a main curry along with sides like Bombay Potatoes and Peas and basmati rice. You also want to have Naan Bread or fresh roti, which is like an Indian tortilla, to soak up the delicious curry sauces and seasonings. My Lamb Curry or Chicken Korma would taste amazing with these potatoes.

How to Store

• Store: You can leave Indian Bombay Potatoes and Peas at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Let the dish cool down before you cover it or transfer it to an airtight container for storage. It will stay good in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Reheating Tips: You can reheat on the stove top in a pan on medium heat. Add a tablespoon of water to make sure it doesn’t dry out. You can also microwave it on high for 2-3 minutes and string halfway through.
• Freeze: For a more long-term storage option, you can tightly seal the dish in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Frequent Questions

Variations

• Tomato Bombay Potatoes: For additional flavor, try making the dish with a spicy tomato sauce. Stir together one freshly diced tomato and 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce. Then mix the tomato mixture with the spices, peas, and potatoes. Cook until warmed through.
• Veggies: There are plenty of other vegetables that you could add to the dish. Green onions, carrots, green chili peppers, or bell peppers would all taste wonderful with the spiced potatoes.
• Flavor Additions: To give the dish a bolder flavor, you can mix in additional spices. Try adding authentic curry powder, red pepper flakes, onion salt, or caraway seeds. You can also garnish the dish with a sprinkling of cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lemon for a refreshing finish.

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Photos used in a previous version of this post.