This dry style Hariyali Aloo is a finger-licking and tangy appetizer. Baby potatoes are tossed in a herby green masala and finished with crushed spices.
Note – This recipe from 2010 (the birth year of JCO!) has been updated from the archives with some delicious recipe changes, shiny new images and helpful recipe content.
This dish is always a hit at dinner parties, sometimes served as a starter, sometimes as a side. And because I’ve made it on so many festive occasions like Diwali or Raksha Bandhan and BBQs, I’ve been able to experiment with different spices.
I call it “hariyali” because it refers to the spicy green masala that the potatoes are coated in.
You see, this isn’t an authentic Indian recipe – its sort of a mish mash of my favourite ingredients in one. The green chutney without a doubt reminds me of chaat . The freshly crushed masala sort of has resemblance to a samosa / kachori masala.
I make it without any onion or garlic too (I’ve simply used raw onion as a garnish in the pics to make the colours pop). This helps the herbs to be the flavour hero in the recipe.
I sauté the potatoes first so the skin gets irresistibly crispy and then stir-fry with the green chutney. This means the chutney doesn’t darken too much as it isn’t exposed to as much heat.
Ingredients notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Baby potatoes – I like using baby potatoes or new potatoes as they hold their shape. I find that regular potatoes mash a bit once cooked. If you’ve ended up with floury potatoes, I suggest making these aloo tikki instead.
To make the spicy green masala, I use lots of fresh coriander & mint leaves . Green chillies & ginger . I like a dash of lemon juice to help bring these flavours together and keep the chutney a vibrant green. White poppy seeds are not common in green chutneys, but in this recipe they add creaminess and nuttiness. When I blend the chutney, I keep it semi thick – it helps the masala to stick to the potatoes evenly. Too thick and it won’t coat the potatoes.
Cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns & fennel seeds . The first time we made this recipe, only cumin and coriander seeds were used. I’ve since included fennel because the aniseed taste just works so so well!
Amchoor powder – I sprinkle it over the finished dish for a hint of tartness. If you don’t have amchoor, try chaat masala too. The tanginess from chaat masala will replicate the tartness. Just don’t use as much!
Garnishing options – more coriander leaves, chopped red onion or pomegranate.
Serving & Storage
I highly recommend serving these potatoes straight away as the green masala will darken with time. Reheating will definitely degrade the colour and the freshness of the herbs. I combat this by tossing through the chutney just prior to serving – the potatoes can be prepped ahead of time.
You can still store it for up to 3 days and reheat in the microwave or the stove top.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Hariyali Aloo (Dry)
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram baby potatoes
- 1 cup coriander packed
- ½ cup mint
- 3 green chillies
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorn
- 1 teaspoon amchoor powder
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash the baby potatoes thoroughly. Boil in salted water until fork tender. Drain and set aside.
- Heat oil in a pan and add the baby potatoes. Sauté until the potatoes are golden-brown all over.
- Meanwhile, prepare the green masala. Add the coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chillies, ginger, poppy seeds, lemon juice and salt to a blender. Crush until you achieve a paste. You may need to add a spoon of water to help the blender along.
- In a pestle and mortar, crush the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and peppercorns coarsely.
- Add the green chutney to the pan along with the crushed spices and amchoor powder. Check the seasoning and add extra salt if needed. Mix well and cook gently for 1-2 minutes.
- Delicious served hot or at room temperature.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Hariyali Aloo (Dry)
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram baby potatoes
- 1 cup coriander packed
- ½ cup mint
- 3 green chillies
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorn
- 1 teaspoon amchoor powder
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash the baby potatoes thoroughly. Boil in salted water until fork tender. Drain and set aside.
- Heat oil in a pan and add the baby potatoes. Sauté until the potatoes are golden-brown all over.
- Meanwhile, prepare the green masala. Add the coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chillies, ginger, poppy seeds, lemon juice and salt to a blender. Crush until you achieve a paste. You may need to add a spoon of water to help the blender along.
- In a pestle and mortar, crush the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and peppercorns coarsely.
- Add the green chutney to the pan along with the crushed spices and amchoor powder. Check the seasoning and add extra salt if needed. Mix well and cook gently for 1-2 minutes.
- Delicious served hot or at room temperature.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Moong Dal Dhokla are a Gujarati specialty made with mag ni dal. I love adding garlic to make lasaniya dhokla—a delicious, fermented snack with an extra burst of flavour.
Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content. The recipe remains the same. First published in March 2013.
While dhokla is traditionally made with rice and chana ni dal, I’ve always been curious about how different lentils and flours can change the taste and texture of this classic.
Over the years, I’ve experimented with my Mum with various combinations. Recently, I made dhokla with mag ni dal—yellow moong dal—as a lighter alternative to khatta dhokla made with chana ni dal. It’s quickly become one of my favourite variations!
Whenever we get the (slightly elusive) Indian summer here in Britain, I set to work fermenting all sorts of batters for dhokla and handvo too!
Fermenting the batter in the hot sun helps – exactly what’s needed for the rise.
The results were perfectly fluffy and well risen dhoklas that surprised everyone. They tasted great – and sour and had a wonderful spongy texture. The proof is in the pictures!
Great as a snack or as farsan in a Gujarati thali . Generously dunk them in a thick herby chutney like my finger-licking raw mango green chutney It’s sweet, tart and spicy! A steaming up of adrak chai is my go-to!
Ingredients
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
For Dhokla:
- yellow moong dal – sometimes sold as split yellow lentils too.
- sour yogurt – I like using a low fat sour yogurt made with live cultures, which aids the fermentation process and bring out tartness.
- crushed garlic, ginger & green chillies – I love the subtle taste of garlic in these dhokla, the flavour with the moong dal works really well. You can leave it out though.
- eno fruit salt – instead of eno, I’ve also used baking soda which is a perfectly reasonable substitute.
- citric acid aka limbu na phool – citric acid helps to add a sourness, useful if the batter didn’t ferment for long enough. This is optional and I’ve tried the recipe with and without with good results.
For Tempering
- oil – neutral flavoured oil is best.
- dried red chillies – these are optional and I sometimes add, sometimes don’t. They infuse extra dry heat to the oil when tempered.
- slit green chillies – the fresh spiciness of green chillies cannot be beaten! You can also cut them into rounds.
- mustard seeds, cumin seeds & hing (asafoetida) – all standard as part of a vaghar. The combination of these layers the flavour.
- fresh curry leaves – another classic in a Gujarati vaghar. I like to use really fresh curry leaves as they release the best aroma.
Don’t forget the garnish – my go-to for dhokla has to be lots of freshly chopped coriander. Sometimes I do a sprinkle of desiccated coconut too!
Tips & Tricks
Dhokla can easily become dense rather than airy. This usually happens when the batter is either too thick or not aerated enough. From my experience, blending the soaked moong dal with a little extra water for a smooth, pourable batter really helps. Also, I’ve found that adding eno just before steaming and lightly folding it in (never overmixing) creates the perfect airiness.
I always steam dhokla on high heat for sponginess, preventing the dhokla sinking in the middle and brown spots appearring on the surface.
Sometimes the cooked dhokla can stick to the plate. My Mum’s top tip for this is to generously grease the plate with plenty of oil. It helps to lift out the dhokla. Also, wait for them to cool slightly, they’ll crumble less.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Moong Dal Dhokla (with Garlic)
Equipment
- Steamer
- Wide plate
- Blender
Ingredients
Dhokla Batter
- 2 cup yellow moong dal
- ¼ cup yogurt
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoon ginger, garlic and green chillies crushed
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon fruit salt (eno) or baking soda
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Vaghar
- 4 tablespoon oil
- 3 dry red chillies optional
- 4 green chillies slit
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon hing asafoetida
- 1 sprig fresh curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds optional
- 2 tablespoon water
Garnish
- 3 tablespoon coriander leaves
Instructions
- Clean, wash and soak moong dal for at least 4-5 hours or overnight.
- Grind soaked moong daal into a coarse paste adding just enough water in a blender. The batter has to be same consistency as the idli batter.
- Add beaten yogurt to the batter and mix in well. Cover with a tight lid and place in a warm area to ferment for at least 5-6 hours.
- Once the batter has risen, add salt, turmeric powder, ginger, chilli and garlic. Mix well.
- Start heating water in a steamer.
- Add eno into the batter, mix and pour in a deep lightly greased plate.
- Steam for 10-12 minutes or until the batter surface is firm to touch and shiny. Piercing a knife, should come out clean.
- Leave dhokla to cool a little. Cut with a knife into diamonds or square shape.
- For the vaghar, heat oil in a kadai, add mustard and cumin seeds.
- Once they crackle, add hing, sesame seeds, green chillies and curry leaves. Then add water.
- Pour over cut dhokla and sprinkle coriander.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
