Aloo Bharta

Serve aloo bharta with a bowl of rice or khichdi, stuff it inside flatbreads like paratha to make a wrap.

What is Aloo Bharta?

In Hindi, Aloo = Potatoes and Bharta refers to anything mash(ed). Baigan Bharta is a popular north indian recipe made with mashed eggplant. Quite simply, aloo bharta is an indian style mashed potato recipe. Besides being super easy to make, this vegetarian side dish is really delicious and comforting (potatoes, after all!) There are all sorts of aloo bharta versions all over the indian subcontinent. In different regions of India, there are various names of similar mashed potato dish like aloo bhorta, aloo chokha, bhaate etc. In all the versions, there are slight differences in terms of how the potatoes are cooked, kind of oil used as well as spice flavorings, however overall all these versions are quite similar. I grew up eating UP (Uttar pradesh) style aloo ka bharta. During winters, my grandmother used to bury a few potatoes for a few hours inside the coal of angithi (a portable fireplace). Once roasted, the she peeled off the charred skin, mashed them and added green garlic, few spices and a drizzle of mustard oil. It was delish! Aloo bharta was made as an accompaniment to Makar Sankrati Khichdi as well. You may skip the onions if you follow a no onion no garlic diet on festivals. Unlike the western style mashed potatoes, aloo bharta aren’t creamy or melt in the mouth. Potatoes are gently mashed with hands and its totally okay if chunks remain).

About My Recipe

Here are are few notes about my aloo bharta recipe

I use baked potatoes. If you do not have oven at home, you could boil the potatoes.In addition to mustard oil, I also use ghee in my recipe. More fat means more flavor, I like to combine different kinds of fat to boost flavor. You could skip them, however I cannot imagine aloo bharta without onions. I add spring onion as well. If green garlic is in season, definitely use it, chop it like like scallions!

Ingredients

Potatoes - I use russet potatoes. Choose high starch content potatoes of any kind you like. Sometimes I use a mix or russet & yukon gold. You could use roasted sweet potatoes too if you wish,Mustard Oil - Is the secret ingredient! Mustard oil gives a distinct flavor to aloo bharta that cannot be replicated. You could purchase it from any indian grocery store. However, at the same time, due to its pungency, mustard oil is an acquired taste for many, so you could use any neutral oil of your choice. Ghee or use vegan butterSpices - Roasted cumin powder, black pepper and amchoor (dry mango powder). Amchoor is available in indian grocery stores. Substitute with lemon juice if you dont have.

How To Make Roasted Cumin Powder At Home Place 1-2 tablespoons of cumin seeds in a small sauce pan and on low to medium heat dry roast the seeds stirring continuously. The seeds will crisp up and get very dark brown in color. You will see a bit of smoke. Dont let the seeds turn black. Once toasted, transfer to a plate and cool down. Use a spice or coffee grinder to grind to a powder. Store in an air tight container for weeks!

How To Make Aloo Bharta

Roast potatoes at 450F for 50-60 minutes or until very soft. While the potatoes are roasting, chop the onions, scallions, green chilies, coriander leaves etc. Measure out the spices and keep ready. In a large bowl, scoop the flesh of potatoes and using a fork gentle mash. Its okay if small chunks remain. Add all the prepped ingredients to the potatoes and mix gently to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings of the potato mixture as needed.You can serve bharta as a mash however I prefer to portion it out and make small patties. Serve warm and don’t forget to drizzle melted ghee right before serving.

Some Tips

It is best if you bake the potatoes, however if you are using boiled potatoes, make sure that they are dry before you peel them. Aloo bharta tastes best when freshly made. The taste of fresh cooked potatoes makes this dish really delicious and soothing. If possible, don’t use boiled potatoes lying around in the fridge to make it. Mash the potatoes using hands (best!) or use potato masher. Aloo bharta isn’t creamy, small lumps of potatoes is totally fine. If you find the taste of raw mustard oil very sharp, warm up the oil to do away the smell, cool down and then use it. Dont skimp on ghee or oil, else the bharta will taste dry. Ghee makes the bharta moist & flavorful. Chop the scallions and onions finely, you dont want to bite into a big chunk of onion- quite unappetizing! You may very lightly saute the onions in oil if you dont prefer raw ones. If you wish, you may switch up the spices and use spices of choice like red chili powder, garam masala, dry red chili flakes etc

How To Use Leftover Aloo Bharta

Aloo bharta is best served warm. I would suggest to make the amount that you would be able to finish at meal tome. However, sometimes leftovers are unavoidable, store the leftovers for a day or two and you could try the following ideas to use them up.