Karare means crispy in Hindi and aloo means potatoes. Karare Aloo is nothing but crispy fried potatoes tossed in basic spices.

It is a great side dish to serve with any Indian-style meal or even as a snack. It is easy to make, vegan and comes together in under 30 minutes using very basic ingredients.

To make it healthier, you can air fry or bake the potatoes instead of deep-frying, but let me tell you that there is no comparison between crispy deep-fried potatoes.

Ingredients:

▢300 grams potatoes

▢1 tablespoon vegetable oil (plus for frying)

▢¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)

▢1 teaspoon cumin seeds

▢2 tablespoons coriander powder

▢1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder

▢1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchoor)

▢½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

▢1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (coriander)

Preparation

  • Wash 300 grams of potatoes and peel them using a vegetable peeler.
  • Cut the potatoes into ¼ inch thick wedges.
  • Soak the potatoes in water until ready to use otherwise they will turn brown from oxidation.
  • Chop the cilantro and gather the remaining ingredients.

Fry the Potatoes

  • Heat 3-4 cups of vegetable oil for frying in a pan over high heat.
  • Drain the water from the potatoes and wipe the wedges using a dishcloth or paper towels. This step is very important. If there is water in the potatoes, they will get steamed instead of frying and will not get crispy.
  • Add the potato wedges to the hot oil and fry until they turn golden brown in color. Keep stirring frequently for even browning.
  • Drain the fried potatoes on a plate and keep them aside.

Make Karare Aloo

  • Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
  • Once the oil is hot, add asafetida and cumin seeds and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
  • Reduce the heat to low.
  • Add coriander powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, dry mango powder, and salt and saute for 1 minute.
  • Add the fried potatoes to the pan and toss them well with the spices.
  • Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.