Tandoori Aloo (or Tandoori ‘Baby’ Potato) is a popular appetiser in the Indian (well, Punjabi) cuisine. Marinated baby potatoes baked to crispy Golden perfection in a Tandoor (or an oven), served with a spicy-tangy coriander mint sauce and a salad on the side. It often is served at parties / barbecue nights or even as a meal by itself.
350gramsBaby PotatoesSee Tips / Notes below on how you can sub the baby potatoes
7tspOil5 tsp + 2 tsp for basting
Marination
200gHung yoghurtuse cashew curd for a vegan version
1tspsalt
3TbspChickpea flourBesan , roasted
1tspGinger Garlic Paste
1tspKashmiri Chilli Powder
1tspChaat Masala
1tspTandoori masala
1/2tspChaat Masala
1tspCoriander Powder
2tspKasuri Methicrushed well
1tbspLemon Juice
Instructions
Blanch the baby potatoes in turmeric-tinted salt water till tender. prick them with a fork several times before blanching them.
Drain in a colander and wait till the steam completely goes off
Drain completely and wipe the baby potatoes gently with a kitchen towel or tissues of all excess water. Peel them if not done already. Halve them
In a bowl, whisk yoghurt well with salt and all the spices for the marination plus half the oil. Add the blanched potato and gently mix so the marination is covered evenly.
Cover tight and keep aside for 30-60 mins (refrigeration works best) . Without adding salt, you may marinate overnight too.
Preheat the oven to 190C. Line a baking tray with foil / parchment / silpat. Brush the remaining oil gently over the baby potatoes. Now place the individual potato pieces without overlapping and bake for 18-21 mins, basting them and overturning them mid-way till they are crisp.
Repeat for another batch if your tray is smaller.
Serve immediately / warm with green chutney or dahi wala chutney (Coriander-mint-yoghurt dip).
Notes
Make sure you use old potatoes (the new ones with the greenish dull patches aren’t quite a fit for this)
Don’t skimp on the marination time. Use ONLY greek yogurt / hung yoghurt for this.
No Baby potatoes, no problem. Simply chunk the large ones into equal sizes
Make sure you par boil (or lightly steam) the potatoes with skin in and few holes poked in the flesh to let the marination seep in fully
Homemade spices are best to make this Tandoori Aloo. If you don’t have Tandoori Masala, follow the masala mix mentioned below for marination
No oven, no Tandoor ? No problem. Make this in an air fryer too. (Baking time would slightly vary)
Keyword Appetiser, Baby Potato, Can be Vegan, Finger food, Gluten Free, Kids Food, Party Ideas, Quick Snack