Alo Chatni

Avatar photoAuthorSalmaCategory, DifficultyBeginner

Bangladeshi Alo/Potato Chatni, also known as Alo Bortha in Bengali, this is made with grilled mashed potatoes, dry roast chillies, fresh coriander, onions, salt and mustard oil. This is a mouthwatering recipe passed on to me from my mother. This is perfect on its own or as a side dish with any other meat dishes.

Yields6 Servings
Prep Time30 minsCook Time40 minsTotal Time1 hr 10 mins

 6 Medium Potatoes
 2 Medium & Small Onions
 4 Green Chillies (optional)
 1520 Small Dry Red Chillies
 5 tbsp Fresh Coriander
 Salt to taste
 2 tbsp Mustard Oil

1

Peel the potatoes.

2

Cut each one in medium size pieces, I baked the potatoes in the oven after pre-cooking it in the microwave.

If you like to cook the potatoes in a dry pan covered with a lid until soft, cut the potatoes in circles, thick as a one pound coin.

3

Here is how I chopped mine.

4

Wash the potatoes a few times and drain the water.

Place it in a suitable dish if you're pre-cooking it in the oven. I cooked it for 8-10 minutes in the microwave as this then speeds the cooking process in the oven.

5

After 8-10 minutes, I checked if it softened enough. As it still was quite hard, I cooked it for a few more minutes in the microwave.

6

All ready, you can now place it on a baking tray and bake on gas mark 6.

If you're cooking it in a dry pan, place it in the pan and cook covered. Once the bottom looks roasted turn the pieces over. Cook the potatoes on low heat until both sides are nice, golden and fully soft. You will have to cook it in batches, unless you use two pans.

7

The potatoes should start to look like this, turn the pieces over.

8

Once both sides look done, turn the gas off and make sure to take it out the oven or it will become too hard.

9

Place the cooked pieces in a bowl.

10

Mash this fully, you can first mash it with a masher then use your hand.

Best to mash the potatoes when they are hot otherwise the pieces become too hard.

11

Keep this aside.

12

All the steps in the next few pictures for preparing some ingredients can be done when you're cooking the potatoes to save a lot of time.

I used 20 small dry red chillies, you can adjust the quantity to your taste. If you want, you can just use green chillies instead of dry red chillies.

In a pan, lightly roast them on medium heat and turn them over when one side is done.

13

You can now crush them. I just used the bottom of a table spoon to crush them- you can use a pestle and mortar instead or place it in a food bag to crush it.

14

Chop the onions, coriander and green chillies finely. Place this in a bowl.

Add some salt on top, as a guide about 1/2-3/4 Teaspoon, best to add a little amount then you can adjust it later.

15

Mix this in. You can use a food bag to place your hand in to mix this in to prevent the green chillies from burning your hand, or you can add in the chillies later.

I added the dry red chillies towards the end.

16

Add the potatoes on top.

17

Add the crushed chillies, 2 tablespoons of mustard oil- adjust the oil to your taste.

At this stage you can use a spoon- I used my hand, as I wanted the oil to coat the potatoes fully. You can again use a food bag/new clean glove.

Check the salt and add more if required.

18

All done, serve with plain white rice. This can be served as a side with any meat dishes.

19

Enjoy!

Ingredients

 6 Medium Potatoes
 2 Medium & Small Onions
 4 Green Chillies (optional)
 1520 Small Dry Red Chillies
 5 tbsp Fresh Coriander
 Salt to taste
 2 tbsp Mustard Oil

Directions

1

Peel the potatoes.

2

Cut each one in medium size pieces, I baked the potatoes in the oven after pre-cooking it in the microwave.

If you like to cook the potatoes in a dry pan covered with a lid until soft, cut the potatoes in circles, thick as a one pound coin.

3

Here is how I chopped mine.

4

Wash the potatoes a few times and drain the water.

Place it in a suitable dish if you're pre-cooking it in the oven. I cooked it for 8-10 minutes in the microwave as this then speeds the cooking process in the oven.

5

After 8-10 minutes, I checked if it softened enough. As it still was quite hard, I cooked it for a few more minutes in the microwave.

6

All ready, you can now place it on a baking tray and bake on gas mark 6.

If you're cooking it in a dry pan, place it in the pan and cook covered. Once the bottom looks roasted turn the pieces over. Cook the potatoes on low heat until both sides are nice, golden and fully soft. You will have to cook it in batches, unless you use two pans.

7

The potatoes should start to look like this, turn the pieces over.

8

Once both sides look done, turn the gas off and make sure to take it out the oven or it will become too hard.

9

Place the cooked pieces in a bowl.

10

Mash this fully, you can first mash it with a masher then use your hand.

Best to mash the potatoes when they are hot otherwise the pieces become too hard.

11

Keep this aside.

12

All the steps in the next few pictures for preparing some ingredients can be done when you're cooking the potatoes to save a lot of time.

I used 20 small dry red chillies, you can adjust the quantity to your taste. If you want, you can just use green chillies instead of dry red chillies.

In a pan, lightly roast them on medium heat and turn them over when one side is done.

13

You can now crush them. I just used the bottom of a table spoon to crush them- you can use a pestle and mortar instead or place it in a food bag to crush it.

14

Chop the onions, coriander and green chillies finely. Place this in a bowl.

Add some salt on top, as a guide about 1/2-3/4 Teaspoon, best to add a little amount then you can adjust it later.

15

Mix this in. You can use a food bag to place your hand in to mix this in to prevent the green chillies from burning your hand, or you can add in the chillies later.

I added the dry red chillies towards the end.

16

Add the potatoes on top.

17

Add the crushed chillies, 2 tablespoons of mustard oil- adjust the oil to your taste.

At this stage you can use a spoon- I used my hand, as I wanted the oil to coat the potatoes fully. You can again use a food bag/new clean glove.

Check the salt and add more if required.

18

All done, serve with plain white rice. This can be served as a side with any meat dishes.

19

Enjoy!

Notes

Alo Chatni
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