Cheap Potato and Pea Curry (Aloo Matar) for Under $10
Spiced, hearty potato curry for under $10 — ready in 40 minutes, one pan.
When you're tired, broke, and staring at a bag of potatoes wondering what to do with your life, this is the answer. Aloo matar — the classic North Indian potato and pea curry — is the kind of dish that asks almost nothing of you and gives back a deeply spiced, filling dinner. The potatoes get tender and soak up all the tomato-cumin sauce, the frozen peas drop in at the end so they stay bright, and the whole thing comes together in one pan in about 40 minutes. Eat it over rice, with flatbread, or just straight from the pan. No judgment.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp neutral oil — vegetable or canola
- 1 unit medium yellow onion — diced
- 4 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger — grated; or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1.5 tsp ground cumin
- 1.5 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper — use less if you want it mild
- 1 unit 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1.5 lb Yukon Gold or russet potatoes — peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 0.5 cup water — plus more as needed
- 1 tsp salt — plus more to taste
- 1.5 cup frozen peas — no need to thaw
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro — chopped, optional for serving
Method
- 1 Heat the oil in a large skillet or wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 6–8 minutes.
- 2 Add the garlic and ginger. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 3 Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, and cayenne. Stir constantly for 30–60 seconds until the spices are toasted and smell incredible — don't let them burn.
- 4 Pour in the canned tomatoes with their juices. Stir to combine, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom. Cook for 2 minutes.
- 5 Add the cubed potatoes, water, and salt. Stir everything together.
- 6 Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 18–22 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork. Add a splash more water if it looks dry.
- 7 Stir in the frozen peas. Cover and cook for 2 more minutes until peas are heated through.
- 8 Taste and adjust salt. Scatter cilantro on top if using, and serve over rice or with flatbread.
Variations
- Add protein (chickpeas) — Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas and add them with the potatoes. Still cheap, more filling, and no extra prep.
- Faster version — Use pre-diced frozen potatoes or canned potatoes (drained) — cut the cook time to about 10 minutes since they're already soft.
- Creamy version — Stir in 3–4 tablespoons of full-fat coconut milk at the end for a richer, slightly sweet sauce.
- Spice substitution — Don't have all the individual spices? Use 1.5 tablespoons of curry powder in place of the cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne — it works perfectly well.
Notes
The curry thickens as it sits — if reheating leftovers, add a few tablespoons of water and warm over medium-low heat. For deeper flavor, let the onions go a full 8–10 minutes until properly golden. This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free as written.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet or wide saucepan with lid — A wide surface helps the onions brown evenly and gives the potatoes room to cook in a single layer, which speeds things up.
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