Wadi Aloo

Wadiya have a distinct flavor. They’re spicy, earthy, and the hing (asafoetida) give them a sharp flavor. Pair that with the mildness of potatoes and wadi aloo is an amazing dish.

Wadi aloo, or Punjabi wadi aloo, as they’re called in the rest of the country, are amazingly easy to make and will last in the fridge for about a week. I like to serve this dish with fresh roti, boondi raita, and salad.

This dish is a classic old world dish. Sadly, you don’t see it cooked as often as it should be. It’s like it went out of fashion. That said, there isn’t a traditional Punjabi family that doesn’t make this dish. Making the wadiya is actually quite complicated and takes some time as it’s an air dry process, so it’s best to buy them. As kids we were always told that the best wadiya came from Amristar. So inevitably, if we were going, or anyone in a 20 mile radius was going, it was always requested that they come back with wadiya for all.

Traditionally, I’m not a fan of asafoetida. To me, it tastes a bit bitter and chalky, however, I can’t imagine making this dish without it. It gives it the perfect bite. The wadiya are spicy and earthy in flavor, so be careful to not add in too much additional spice. I’ve done that before and had to drink water with each bite.

The picture doesn’t do this dish justice. One of the problems with not being a professional photographer is that you don’t always do a dish justice.

Love authentic Punjabi recipes? Try these:

Wadi Aloo

Course: Main CoursesCuisine: PunjabiDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

10

minutes

1

hour 

25

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 cup Punjabi wadi

• 2 tbsp whole cumin

• 1 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)

• 4 onions, chopped finely

• 3 tbsp ginger, minced

• 1 chili pepper, minced

• 3 tbsp coriander seeds, powdered

• 2 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 4 tomatoes, pureed

• 3 tbsp plain whole milk yogurt

• 6 potatoes, chopped into 1 inch pieces

• 4 cups water

• Salt, to taste

Directions

• Break up the wadiya into a few pieces. They’re hard so you may need to use a rolling pin.
• In a non-stick frying pan heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat.
• Add the pieces of wadiya and sauté them for 4-5 minutes. Or until they turn a deep brown. Once done, set these aside.
• In a non-stick pot heat the remaining oil over medium heat.
• Add cumin seeds, and asafoetida. Saute for 2 minutes.
• Add onions and sauté till a golden brown. Approximately 10-15 minutes.
• Add ginger and green chili. Saute for 2 minutes
• Add coriander seeds, chili powder, and turmeric. Saute for 2 minutes.
• Add in the pureed tomatoes and cook till your masala is a deep brownish red. Approximately 10 minutes.
• Mix in yogurt and saute for 3 minutes.
• Add in potatoes, fried wadiyan, salt, and water.
• Bring the gravy to a boil, turn down the heat to medium-low, and cover.
• Stir occasionally.
• As the wadiya get softer you’ll notice they will start to break up into smaller chunks.
• Cook for 30 minutes.
• Garnish and serve hot with roti.

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