Zeera Aloo ki Sabzi (Spiced Cumin Potatoes with Gravy)

Zeera aloo ki sabzi is a Pakistani vegetarian dish comprising of sliced potatoes seasoned with cumin seeds and chili in a simple but delicious gravy. Serve with raita and chutney for a comforting dinner.

Not many people like vegetables, but if there was one vegetable that everyone loved, it would be potatoes. Crispy French fries, potato wedges, mashed potatoes or perhaps a baked potato with sour cream, there’s got to be a recipe that you just can’t get enough of.

Just like western cuisine, potatoes are a staple in Pakistani cooking as well. They can be made in a simple sabzi (vegetable gravy) on their own, combined with other vegetables like baighan (eggplant), peas (matar), cauliflower (gobi) and more. They can be combined with meat to make aloo gosht (mutton gravy with potatoes) or aloo chicken (chicken gravy with potatoes) or qeema (Pakistani style mince with potatoes) or with rice to make aloo ki tahari (spiced potato rice).

What I am sharing today is a sabzi (vegetable gravy) that is a dinner regular at my home. It’s simple to make, requires just a few ingredients and lends itself to many variations. All of which I will be mentioning in the recipe notes. In my household, dishes are preferred with more gravy but the quantity of water can be reduced as per personal preference.

5 from 2 votes

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Zeera Aloo ki Sabzi

Zeera Aloo ki sabzi is a Pakistani vegetarian dish comprising of sliced potatoes seasoned with cumin seeds and chili in a simple but delicious gravy. Serve with raita and chutney for a comforting dinner.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Pakistani, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 5 people

Calories 667 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 - 3 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 - 3 whole red chili
• 500 grams potatoes sliced
• 1 - 1 ½ tsp red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1 - 2 cups of water

Instructions

1. Heat oil.
2. Add cumin seeds and whole red chili. Saute for about 30 seconds – 1 minute till cumin seeds start spluttering.
3. Add sliced potatoes, and toss with the spices. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure that the potatoes don’t burn.
4. Add water, along with red chili powder and salt.
5. Cook for about 25 – 30 minutes till potatoes are tender. If less or no gravy is preferred, reduce the quantity of water.

Recipe Notes

This recipe lends itself to many variations based on mood and ingredients available.

• Instead of whole red chilies, fresh green chilies (sliced) can be used. Add them at the same time that cumin seeds were added.
• Tomatoes can be used to add a tart flavor to this easy potato sabzi. Add one chopped tomato, and then add the potatoes, following the rest of the recipe as it is.