Bombay potatoes are one of those dishes that earn their place on any curry table without any fuss. This version gets its character from two things: the whole lemon boiled with the potatoes, which infuses the flesh and softens the skin for roasting, and the mustard seeds crackling in hot oil before anything else goes in.

Bombay potatoes recipe with mustard seeds, lemon and fresh coriander – The Flexible Chef

If the oven is already on at Casa Adora — and it usually is — this takes very little effort. Serve it alongside a curry or next to Empire Chicken for a straightforward weeknight dinner.

The Bombay Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients (serves 2 as a side)

• 4–5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 unwaxed lemon, washed
• 2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 red chilli, sliced — seeds in or out to taste
• 3–4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp turmeric — plus a good pinch for the boiling water
• 1 bay leaf
• A small handful of fresh coriander — stalks separated from leaves
• Olive oil or ghee
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.
2. Place the cubed potatoes in a pan of salted water with the whole lemon and a generous pinch of turmeric. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes until the potatoes are just beginning to soften. Drain and set aside. Remove the lemon and cut in half.
3. Add a generous glug of olive oil or ghee to a roasting tin and place over a medium heat on the hob. Add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the cumin seeds, garam masala and turmeric. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add the bay leaf, tomatoes, garlic cloves, sliced chilli, coriander stalks and the par-boiled potatoes. Give the tin a good shake so everything gets a coating of the spiced oil.
5. Squeeze one lemon half over the tin and tuck the squeezed half in among the potatoes.
6. Place in the hot oven for 25–30 minutes until the potatoes are golden and cooked through.
7. Remove from the oven and scatter with fresh coriander leaves and a squeeze from the reserved lemon half. Serve immediately.

Footnote

This Bombay potatoes recipe is part of both the Potato Hub and the Curry Recipes Hub — complete collections of potato recipes and curries, spice blends, bases, chutneys and sides from The Flexible Chef. Explore the full collections.
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