Baby Potato Fry | South Indian Baby Potatoes Recipe

In this post, I share one more of those innumerable ways you can consume potatoes, and not get bored of it and still be a fan. Although, a Baby Potato Fry, this spicy dish is full of flavors and is simple to make too. Here, I have sautéed the baby potatoes with some of the choicest South Indian spices and herbs. This Baby Potatoes Recipe is not difficult and you don’t even have to be a pro in cooking for making this lovely dish.

About This Baby Potato Fry

There are some recipes that I make often at home. And because of them being so much in routine, they usually get overlooked, more in terms of getting documented and shared on this blog here. This Baby Potato Fry is one such recipe, which I finally was able to share with all my readers too.

While on reading the name of the recipe, you may think that the baby potatoes are fried. But no ingredient is deep fried while making this recipe. In the Indian vocabulary, the word ‘fry’ is used for the term ‘sauté’. Since here the potatoes are sautéed in a pan, hence the name of the dish.

Usually at home, I make this dish both with baby potatoes and even regular potatoes. Of course, while using the larger potatoes, I chop them into smaller cubes or dices and then use for the recipe. But I must say, I like this dish more as the Baby Potato Fry than the one made with regular potatoes.

My preferred choice of onions for this Baby Potato Fry is also always pearl onions or shallots, as it really imparts a beautiful flavor to the dish. But don’t stress too much if you do not have them at home. Use your regular onions and make this dish.

Another very South Indian element in this spicy Baby Potatoes recipe is the sambar powder. However, if you do not have this as well, make the dish without it or use some other spice powders instead. Just in case you have time prior to this dish, click on this Sambar Powder to have a homemade sambar spice mix ready.

I prefer having this South Indian style Baby Potato Fry as a side dish with Rasam, Sambar, Dal Fry paired with steamed rice. You can also serve as a side with Khichdi or Pongal. It really makes for a sumptuous and comforting meal. You can even relish the flavors of this preparation with Chapati or Poori as well.

How to make Baby Potato Fry

Cook Baby Potatoes

1. Rinse and steam/boil 250 grams baby potatoes (20 to 24 baby potatoes), in a steamer or stovetop pressure cooker. I have steamed the potatoes in an electric cooker.

You can also steam the potatoes in the Instant Pot adding enough water as needed. The baby potatoes can also be steamed or cooked in a pot or pan on the stovetop.

For stovetop pressure cooking, cook in a 2 litre pressure cooker with water covering the potatoes on medium heat for 1 to 2 whistles.

If the baby potatoes are very small or small-sized, pressure cook for 1 whistle. If they are slightly larger, pressure cook for 2 whistles.

Let the pressure drop naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid.

2. After cooking or steaming, drain the water from the potatoes and let them become warm. When they become warm, peel and keep them aside.

You can keep the small-sized baby potatoes whole and as is. Halve or quarter the bigger baby potatoes.

If you prefer the peels, keep them on the baby potatoes.

Make Baby Potato Fry

3. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil (gingelly oil) in a pan. Reduce the heat and add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. Stir and let them begin to crackle.

If you do not have gingelly oil, use any neutral oil like sunflower oil.

4. Once the mustards seeds begin to crackle, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Fry till they splutter and change color.

5. Now, add ¼ cup sliced pearl onions or ¼ cup chopped onions, 6 to 7 curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida (hing).

For a gluten-free recipe, skip adding asafoetida.

6. Stirring often, sauté till the onions turn translucent.

7. Add the peeled baby potatoes.

8. Stir to mix.

9. Add the ground spice powders listed below:

• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper – For a spicy taste, add ½ teaspoon red chili powder.
• 1 teaspoon sambar powder – If you don’t have sambar powder, add ¼ teaspoon coriander powder and ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder.

Mix the ground spices with the ingredients and baby potatoes, in such a way that they coat the baby potatoes evenly.

10. Add salt as required and stir to mix again.

11. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes on low heat stirring at intervals. Then, add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.

12. Stir and switch off the heat.

13. Serve South Indian Baby Potato Fry as a side dish with rasam-rice, sambar-rice or dal-rice. You can also have it with chapathi.

More With Baby Potatoes

Potatoes that haven’t grown fully into their adult size, are baby potatoes. Isn’t it quite obvious from their name? So, basically baby potatoes are smaller in size (thus, also known as chote aloo in Hindi), but have the similar properties as their grown-up parents. Because these are not fully developed, baby potatoes are also sweeter in taste.

These baby potatoes can also be termed as mini spuds which can also be of different varieties, just like a full-grown potato is. Their culinary uses too are as versatile and varied as their parent counterpart. Meaning, you can steam, boil, bake, grill, fry and roast baby potatoes to make delicious dishes.

Just like this Baby Potato Fry, which is sautéed, there are many other recipes that I have made with small potatoes. For instance, this Kashmiri Dum Aloo, Tandoori Aloo and Dum Aloo Banarasi.

While most of the times, you can use baby potatoes instead of regular potatoes, but there are some classic recipes like the ones mentioned above which are best made using baby potatoes. This Potato Recipes compilation will be your dream list of all things potato!

Expert Tips

1. Go ahead and use any variety of baby potatoes or regular potatoes to make this dish. You could also use new potatoes.
2. You can cook potatoes using a steamer or stovetop pressure cooker or Instant Pot. In a pressure cooker, cook the potatoes covering them with water for 1 to 2 whistles.
3. In case you don’t have readymade sambar powder, add ¼ teaspoon coriander powder and ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder instead.
4. If you don’t have shallots or pearl onions, use chopped regular onions.

This Baby Potato Fry recipe post from the blog archives first published in July 2015 has been republished and updated on 26 July 2022.