Instant Pot Aloo Matar (No Onion Garlic)

This classic, delightful and effortless Indian dish is too good to be missed.

In this finger-licking curry, potatoes and green peas are cooked in a tomato gravy with basic spices. Although in this recipe no onion and garlic have been used, the curry is still full of flavour.

Aloo Matar is pretty easy to rustle up whether you use onion garlic or not. A crowd-pleaser curry which can be prepared when you are restricted to not use onion and garlic on religious occasions.

Aloo MatarSometimes we overlook simple recipes. Aloo Matar is cooked often at home but we've never thought about putting the recipe on the blog.

Recently, I had some friends come around whilst I was at uni. I had promised them I'd cook for them - so obviously, I just unpacked the food from home that my Mum had cooked and sent over to me! Spoilt, I know.

I took out Paneer Jalfrezi and this Aloo Matar alongside some rice and Gujarati chapatis. It was all finished and wiped up pretty quick! When I told them the recipe of the aloo matar, they couldn't believe how easy it was to make!

In a bid to tackle the notion that curry is hard to make, here is our easy and quick Aloo Matar without onion and garlic.

It's great for students as it is budget-friendly, doesn't require a lot of ingredients and most are non-perishable. As it has no onion and garlic, no need to worry about lingering curry smells!

Will you believe me if I tell you that I made this Aloo Matar in the Instant Pot in ONLY 1 MINUTE?! Yep, you read that right - 1 minute on Low Pressure is all that is needed for this recipe.

You will have perfectly cooked potatoes that are soft yet not falling apart. Bonus that you don't have to stand around and stir!

You can also use a normal pressure cooker to make the curry.

If you do not own a pressure cooker, then the stovetop method is also included.

Ingredients for Aloo Matar

 

Potatoes - normal white potatoes work fine. Try not to choose floury potatoes as they will be more mushy

Peas - frozen or fresh peas


Tomato - use crushed tomatoes or passata


Green chilli and ginger - crushed. Use fresh/frozen/bottled

Spices - red chilli powder, turmeric, ground cumin and coriander and garam masala

Mustard and Cumin Seeds - for tempering

Kasoori Methi - adds unique flaour and you won't miss any onion-garlic flavours in this dish.

ALOO MATAR IN INSTANT POT 


Peel the potatoes (pic 1)

Cut the potatoes (pic 2)

Select saute mode for 5 minutes and heat oil in the inner pot (pic 3)

Add mustard, cumin seeds and hing/asafoetida (pic 4)

Once they splutter add tomato puree (pic 5)

Add crushed ginger-chillies (pic 6)

Now tip in all the spices and cook well. (pic 7)

Add kasoori methi (pic 8)

Cancel the saute mode and close the lid (pic 15)

Select LOW-PRESSURE COOKER mode and choose +1 minute. (pic 16)

After 5 minutes NPR open the lid, check the potatoes by cutting it with the spoon. Add freshly chopped coriander and serve hot (pic 17)

STOVE TOP ALOO MATAR RECIPE 


Peel the potatoes using vegetable peeler or knife. (pic 1)

Cut it into small chunks and wash it under the running water (pic 2)

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat, add mustard and cumin seeds plus hing (pic 3)

Add tomato puree once seeds crackle (pic 4)

Let it cook puree for a couple of minutes then add green chillies and ginger (pic 5)

You'll see oil leaving the pan (pic 6)

Add all the spices and cook further. (pic 7)

Add kasoori methi (pic 8)

 

Add green pea (pic 9)

Now add potatoes (pic 10)

Mix well and add water (pic 11)

Cover  the pan with the lid and cook the curry on medium heat for 12-15 minutes, you may check halfway through cooking, if needed add more water (pic 12)

Check the potatoes (pic 13)

Once done, turn off the heat and add freshly chopped coriander and serve (pic 14)