While you are here, don’t miss to check batate vagu (potato curry) and batate song. Jump to:About Batata UpkariIngredients for Pan-Fried Potatoes Step by Step InstructionsTipsMore Potato Recipes Recipe cardUser Reviews
About Batata Upkari
Batata means potatoes or aloo and upkari means stir fry in Konkani. I must say this potato stir fry is a healthier and tastier version of traditional french fries. This pan-fried potato or amchi upkari is a traditional recipe loved by people of all age groups. Konkani stir fries or upkari are always easy to make; the tempering is the same for all the recipes; only the vegetables you add change. Instead of potato, you can add long beans (alsando), green beans, ridge gourd (gosale), etc. There is another variation of upkari called teek bhajun upkari, and I have a video for that. This upkari is no onion no garlic, and is mainly prepared during fasting and upvas days, Navratri, and festive meals. After a long vacation, the first thing my family loves to have at home is potato stir fry (batate upkari) and peja (rice cooked with starchy water). I always make a little extra than required as I love potatoes very much and start eating them even during the cooking process. Upkari is called stir fry in English, palya in Kannada, and sabzi in Hindi.
Ingredients for Pan-Fried Potatoes
To make potato stir fry or aloo sabzi, you need potatoes and basic Indian tempering ingredients. Russet potatoes are what I generally use. Any variety of potatoes will work. For the tempering, coconut oil is used, and it gives an authentic taste. But you add oil that you have in your pantry. Add mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilies, and curry leaves to the tempering. Asafoetida or hing is added as it cuts down any gastric issues caused by potato consumption. If this is unavailable, try adding some garlic cloves or garlic powder.
Step by Step Instructions
Prepare the potatoes
Peel the skin of potatoes, chop them lengthwise or strips or to any desired shape, and wash them. If you have time, you can even soak them in water to get rid of the excess starch content.
How to make dry aloo sabzi (upkari)?
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add urad dal, and chana dal and saute till it becomes light golden in color. Now add the curry leaves, dry red chilies, and asafoetida and saute for 30 seconds. Add the potatoes and salt to taste. Just sprinkle some water may, maybe ¼ cup. Cover with the lid and cook on a medium flame for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked, stirring them occasionally. Serve hot and enjoy.
Tips
If you want the potatoes to be crispy, cook it for 5 to 10 minutes without the lid and increase the amount of oil. You can also add ¼ cup of grated coconut just before you remove it from the flame. Some even add tender cashew nuts called bibbo and ivy gourd (tendle) along with potatoes. You can also saute 2 to 3 garlic cloves along with tempering if you like the flavor of garlic. To check if the potatoes are cooked - See if you can break the potatoes easily with a spoon. It means the potatoes are cooked. Else, cook for some more time. This is the healthy version of french fries that you can serve your kids.
More Potato Recipes
Did you like this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Recipe card
