Bombay potatoes

Put the ginger, garlic cloves and 4 of the tomatoes into a food processor. Blitz until smooth, then set aside.

Place the potatoes into a large saucepan, then cover with cold water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and leave to dry.

Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced onions, a pinch of salt and fry gently for around 10 minutes, until the onions are golden. Then add the green chillies, black mustard seeds, ground coriander, turmeric, ground cumin and garam masala to the pan and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomato mixture to the pan, and bring to a simmer. Then add the potatoes and the remaining 2 tomatoes. Let the mixture simmer for 3 minutes, until all warmed through. Season to taste, then serve hot with fresh coriander on top.

Tips & tricks

The types of potatoes you choose for the recipe can influence the final taste of your homemade Bombay potatoes. In our recipe above, we’ve shared an option with new potatoes, which work brilliantly for this dish as they’re waxy and hold their shape well after cooking. But there are lots of variations you can introduce. For example, Yukon Gold potatoes can bring a more buttery flavour to the dish. If you’re interested in varying the recipe above, then you can find out more about different types of potatoes by reading our useful guide here. The main tip to remember, however, is to cut your potatoes into similar sizes so they cook evenly, whichever variety you choose to use.

It’s possible to purchase all of the spices listed above at a well-stocked supermarket, but some cooks prefer to make their own homemade spices for their Bombay potatoes recipe. In particular, garam masala is a spice mix lots of people like to make at home to have their own personal variety. You can find out how to make this common Indian cooking spice here.

Origin of the recipe

The origin of Bombay potatoes isn’t totally clear. There are some theories that the dish originated from Goa, where potatoes were first introduced to India. Others consider it to be a mostly British dish, created to anglicise certain elements of Indian cooking. Some also consider the dish to have come from Mumbai (formerly Bombay) as the recipe continues to be very popular there today. Regardless of the origin, what’s agreed upon is its status as a delicious side dish. You can find more Indian food inspiration with our collection of recipes here, if you’re looking to create Bombay potatoes as part of a delicious Indian feast.

Storage

You can store Bombay potatoes safely in the fridge for up to three days. It’s possible to reheat the dish either in the microwave or in a pan with a little splash of water to prevent any sticking.