Aloo Gajar Ki Sabji

Take any Indian home, one of the absolute essential vegetables was, is and will always be a potato (aloo). Its like the universal staple for us Indians. In fact, at my home, it’s almost a panic situation if ever there’s no potato in the vegetable tray! So, one recipe which is close to my heart is this Aloo Gajar Ki Sabji. This is a dry veggie preparation with potatoes and the seasonal special red carrots. Vegan, gluten free, nourishing, comforting – this tasty sabzi is a star!

About Aloo Gajar Ki Sabji

Winters in North India also mean a bounty of fresh produce that is really hard to let go off. From green peas, cauliflower and leafy greens like spinach to root veggies like radish, beetroot, turnip, red carrots, etc. and even fruits – this gamut of natural colors and freshness that the winters hold is supreme. It is almost therapeutic. Trust me, when I say this, as even the sight will bring a smile on your face.

So, this Potato Carrot Recipe was developed with the fresh red carrots and new potatoes of the season some years back in Delhi. Subtly spiced, minus onion and garlic, this Aloo Gajar Ki Sabji is definitely for keeps. Hence, it is a favorite, till today. Whenever I get my hands on these winter veggies, this dish is surely on the menu at home.

With this Aloo Gajar Ki Sabji as a standard reference, you can make other variations like the tasty Gajar Matar and Aloo Gajar Matar too. I mean you can experiment by adding more vegetables of your choice. It is only going to make for a soul soothing dish.

For quicker cooking, I usually use the pressure cooker to make this Aloo Gajar Ki Sabji. Here, on this post, that is what I’ve demonstrated as well. But you can even cook the sabzi in a kadai/wok or pan adding water as required. If you have baby potatoes in hand, use them instead of the regular potatoes. That also will be delicious.

How to make Aloo Gajar Ki Sabji

1. Heat 1.5 tablespoons oil (can use sunflower oil, peanut oil or mustard oil) in a 2-liter stovetop pressure cooker. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and sauté till the cumin seeds splutter on low heat.

2. Then, add 1 or 2 slit green chilies and 1 inch peeled and chopped ginger. Stir and sauté till the raw aroma of ginger goes away on low heat.

3. Then, add 1.5 cups chopped carrots and 1.5 cups chopped potatoes.

4. Add ⅓ cup water.

5. Season with salt as required. Stir and mix well. Pressure cook for 1 whistle or 6 to 7 minutes on medium to high heat.

6. When the pressure settles down naturally, then only remove the lid. There will be some stock/water in the sabzi.

7. Keep the cooker on the stovetop without the lid and on low to medium heat, simmer till all the water dries up.

This is a dry sabji and there is no water in the final preparation.

8. Lastly, add ½ teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur powder) and ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala powder.

9. Stir and mix well.

10. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves. Stir and mix again.

11. Serve aloo gajar ki sabji hot or warm with some soft phulkas or paratha. It can also be packed for tiffin box or short trips.

Serving suggestions

This Aloo Gajar Ki Sabji being a dry and non-spicy dish, goes extremely well with some soft chapatis, phulkas or even plain parathas. You can also pack these combinations as lunch in your tiffins.

Other than this, the flavors are just apt to be paired with dal-rice as well. In fact, you can also use the sabzi as a filling for making toast sandwiches.

This Aloo Gajar Post from the blog archives, first published in January 2016 has been republished and updated on December 2022.