Anardana Aloo

Punjabi dry-fried potatoes tossed with ground dried pomegranate, cumin, and chilli for a tangy, savoury crust

Origin: Punjab, North India

From the journey of Pomegranate.

Anardana aloo is a dry potato dish of the Punjab in which the souring spice is not lemon, not tamarind, not raw mango, but anardana, the dried seed of the sour pomegranate, ground to a coarse powder. Boiled or par-fried potatoes are tossed in a tempering of cumin, ajwain, chilli, and turmeric and then coated with ground anardana, which clings to the crisp surface of the potato and lends a deep, fruity, tangy savour quite different from any other sour note in the Indian kitchen. The result is a sukhi sabzi, a dry vegetable, the kind eaten with hot chapatis or stuffed into a paratha or a lunchbox. The dish belongs to the dry, wheat-eating north-west, where anardana is a pantry staple and the pomegranate, fresh and dried, is part of daily cooking, and it shows the spice in its most characteristic role: a souring agent that seasons without wetting, perfect for a dish that must stay dry and crisp. The same ground anardana that flavours these potatoes is rubbed into the stuffed aloo parathas and the chana of the region; here it is given the simplest and most direct stage, clinging to a humble plate of fried potatoes.

Ingredients

Potatoes

700 g waxy potatoes, boiled until just tender, peeled, and cut into 2.5 cm chunks

Tempering

3 tbsp mustard or vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
0.5 tsp ajwain (carom) seeds
0.25 tsp asafoetida (hing)

Spices

0.5 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp ground coriander
2.5 tbsp anardana (dried pomegranate seeds), coarsely ground
1 tsp salt, or to taste

To finish

0.5 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
fresh pomegranate seeds, to garnish (optional)

Method

Heat the oil in a wide, heavy frying pan or kadhai over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the cumin and ajwain seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds, then add the asafoetida.
Add the boiled potato chunks and fry, turning occasionally, for 8–10 minutes, until they are golden and crisp at the edges.
Lower the heat. Sprinkle over the turmeric, chilli powder, and ground coriander and toss to coat the potatoes evenly.
Add the ground anardana and the salt and toss thoroughly, so the tangy pomegranate powder clings to the crisp surface of the potatoes. Fry for a further 2 minutes.
Finish with the garam masala and chopped coriander. Taste and adjust the salt and sourness. Scatter with fresh pomegranate seeds if using and serve hot with chapatis or parathas.

Notes

The coarseness of the anardana matters: a coarse grind gives little tangy bursts, a fine powder a more even sourness; both are good. The dish is meant to be dry and crisp, a sukhi sabzi for rolling into a paratha or packing into a tiffin. For extra texture, finish with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of chaat masala. Floury potatoes can be used but waxy ones hold their shape better through the frying.

The Gastrographer

Name: Anardana Aloo
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: North India
Ingredients: 700 g waxy potatoes, boiled until just tender, peeled, and cut into 2.5 cm chunks; 3 tbsp mustard or vegetable oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 0.5 tsp ajwain (carom) seeds; 0.25 tsp asafoetida (hing); 0.5 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder; 1 tsp ground coriander; 2.5 tbsp anardana (dried pomegranate seeds), coarsely ground; 1 tsp salt, or to taste; 0.5 tsp garam masala; 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped; fresh pomegranate seeds, to garnish (optional)

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control