Bombay Aloo Matar (Potato and Pea Curry)
Tender potatoes and sweet peas in a bright, saucy tomato curry, an everyday Indian favourite ready in 30 minutes.
Made with Curry base sauce (onion and tomato). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time35 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.76 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Boil the potatoes in salted water for 6 minutes until just starting to soften, then drain.
6 min - 2
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds until they sizzle and smell toasty.
- 3
Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1 minute. Stir in the turmeric, coriander and chilli powder and cook for 20 seconds.
- 4
Pour in your ready made curry base sauce (see the base recipe) with 100 ml water and add the potatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the potatoes are tender.
10 min - 5
Stir in the peas and salt and cook for 4 minutes.
4 min - 6
Add the lemon juice, scatter with coriander and serve with rice or chapatis.
Tips
- Par boil the potatoes first so they cook evenly and do not break up in the sauce.
- Mash a few potato chunks against the side of the pan for a thicker sauce.
- Wait for the cumin seeds to sizzle before adding the next ingredient, so the flavour is toasted rather than raw.
Storing and freezing
Keeps 4 days in the fridge and 2 months in the freezer. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Which potatoes work best?
Waxy varieties such as Charlotte or Maris Peer hold their shape. Floury potatoes break down and thicken the sauce, which also works.
Is it vegan?
Yes. It is vegan and free from gluten, dairy, egg and nuts as written.
Can I use fresh peas?
Yes, in season, but frozen peas are just as good and need no prep.
More made with curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
Machli Kofta Curry (Fish Kofta in Spiced Sauce)
DFEFNFPrawn Dhansak (Parsi Prawn and Lentil Curry)
DFEFNFPotato and Cauliflower Vindaloo
GFDFEFSausage Curry (Classic British Kitchen Curry)
NFSee every dish made with curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.