A spicy dry potato curry, also known as”ala theldala” in Sinhalese, is a devilled potato curry you can enjoy with all of your favourite meals.

Spicy potato curry” ala theldala”.

Parboiled potatoes are mixed with fried onions, curry leaves, mustard, and loads of red chilli flakes; the name definitely”deviled” describes this dish.
By parboiling the potatoes first, you keep the middle of the potatoes soft, and by frying them later with the tempered ingredients, you give the curried potatoes a fried potato taste as well.

• This spicy potato curry also has various other names.
  • Devilled potatoes.
  • Tempered potatoes.
  • Ala baduma in Sinhalese.
  • Potato fry.
  • And dry curried potatoes.

If you are bored with all the potato curry recipes out there, it’s time to give this Sri Lankan dish a try.

Serving ideas for spicy potato curry(devilled potatoes).

• Serve with any type of rice dish.
  • How to cook rice on the stove.
  • Sri Lankan Yellow Rice(turmeric rice)
  • Indian fragrant ghee rice(nei choru).
• Serve with flatbreads, paratha or roti recipes.
  • Garlic Naan recipe without yeast.
  • Stovetop Naan bread( Indian Naan bread)
  • Sri Lankan tuna filling stuffed coconut roti(pol roti).
  • How to make poori(deep-fried Indian bread).
  • How to make Sri Lankan egg roti/paratha.

• Other vegetarian curries that pair well with this potato curry.
  • Beetroot curry.
  • A Sri Lankan dhal curry.
  • Dal tadka.

• Serve with my grandmother’s slow-cooked beef curry or a Sri Lankan chicken curry.

More potato curry recipes.

Sri Lankan creamy potato curry.
Sri Lankan potato and bean curry.
Spicy potato and green bean stir-fry.
Indian Bombay potatoes.

What you will need in the kitchen.

Chopping board and knife.
A medium-sized pot.
Medium-sized frying pan.

Storage, freezing and reheating guide.

• Storing.
  • Store in glass containers with a lid to preserve freshness. Use within 2-3 days if refrigerated.
• Freezing.
  • I’ve frozen the spicy dry potato curry, but I find the texture and taste change within a few days, despite freezing in covered containers. So I would advise avoiding freezing the devilled potatoes; instead, refrigerate them.
• Reheating.
  • Remove the potato dish from the fridge, let it reach room temperature, and reheat over a stovetop or microwave.
  • Make sure to add 2-3 tablespoons of water or coconut milk to readjust the texture and flavour of the dry potato curry.
• Stop food waste by.
  • Stuff the dry potato curry into samosas, pastries, or hand pies to make a savoury snack.
  • And any leftovers can be used to make toasted sandwiches for breakfast, or use them to make any kind of stuffed rotis or parathas as well.

RECIPE DIFFICULTY- LITTLE CARE NEEDED

Ingredients to cook the dry potato curry.

• Oil
• Cardamom pods slightly bruised
• curry leaves
• Pandan leaf(2″ piece, optional and can be substituted with a bay leaf)
• Large onion sliced fine
• Turmeric powder
• Cumin powder
• Red chilli flakes 
• Red chilli powder
• large green chilli slit lengthwise.
• Mustard seeds
• Potatoes boiled, peeled, and cut into cubes(1-inch roughly)

Step-by-step photo tutorial.

How to cook the spicy potato curry
(devilled potatoes).

Parboiling the Potatoes.

Place the potatoes in a pan, and pour water just enough to cover the potatoes.
Do not add salt while boiling.
Boil the potatoes until they are tender. This should take 30-45 minutes.
The cooking time depends on the size of the potatoes.
You can check if they are done by inserting a knife through the potatoes; if the knife goes through smoothly, the potatoes are done.
Place the potatoes under running water and peel off the skin.
Since they are already boiled and soft, the potatoes will break into smaller cubes as you mix them with the spices, so cut them into larger cubes and set them aside.
Have all the ingredients needed to make the spicy potato dish ready.

Place a cooking pan over medium heat and pour in the oil.
Add curry leaves, pandan leaf(optional and can be substituted with a bay leaf), cardamom pods, sliced onions and sauté.

Once the onion slices turn golden, add turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilli flakes, and red chilli powder, green chillies , and finally, mustard seeds.

Reduce the heat and continue cooking the ingredients in the pan while mixing to avoid any of the spices from burning for 2 minutes.

Add the cooked potatoes to the spices. Break down the larger pieces of potatoes as you mix.
If the potatoes are not completely cooked, here’s what you do.
As you break down potatoes, and if you notice that they are still hard to break, simply add 1/2 a cup of water and continue to cook until the water evaporates.
This will take about 8-10 minutes. (You can check the video for this recipe below.)
Season with salt and combine.
Once the water evaporates, add a few tablespoons of oil to fry and make the mixing of the tempered Potatoes easy.
If you need a bit of gravy, pour in 1/4 of thick coconut milk.
Cover and simmer for a further 5 minutes over low heat.

Serve warm with your favourite rice and curry dishes.

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Sri Lankan spicy Dry Potato Curry(devilled potatoes).

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Dry potato curry(devilled potatoes) Sri Lankan style.

A spicy potato curry is also known as”ala theldala” in Sinhalese is a devilled potato curry you can enjoy with all of your favorite meals.

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Ingredients

• Ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
• 6 tablspoons of oil
• 2 cardamom pods slightly bruised
• 4 or 5 curry leaves
• Pandan leaf(2″ piece, optional and can be substituted with a bay leaf)
• 1 large onion sliced fine
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 cardamom pods slightly bruised
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flecks
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 large green chili slit lengthwise.
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 250g potatoes boiled, peeled and cut into cubes(1-inch roughly)

Instructions

How to boil the potatoes for the spicy tempered potato curry

1. Place the potatoes(250g with skin)in a pan, pour water just enough to cover the potatoes.
2. Do not add salt while boiling.
3. Boil the potatoes until they are tender. this should take 30-45 minutes.
4. The cooking time depends on the size of the potatoes.
5. You can check if they are done by inserting a knife through the potatoes if the knife goes through smoothly, the potatoes are done.
6. Place the potatoes under running water and peel off the skin.
7. Since they are already boiled and soft, the potatoes will break into smaller cubes as you mix them with the spices, so cut them into larger cubes and set them aside.

How to cook the spicy devilled potatoes.

1. Have all the ingredients needed to make the spicy potato dish ready.
2. Place a cooking pan over medium heat and pour in the oil(4 tbsps).
3. Add curry leaves(5 leaves), pandan leaf(2″ piece, optional and can be substituted with a bay leaf), cardamom pods(2), onions(1 large) and sauté.
4. Once the onion slices turn golden, add turmeric powder(1/2 tsp), cumin(1/2 tsp), add red chilli flecks(1/2 tsp), and red chilli powder(1/2 tsp), green chillies (2), and finally, mustard seeds(1/2 tsp).
5. Reduce heat and continue cooking the ingredients in the pan while mixing to avoid any of the spices from burning for 2 minutes.
6. Add the cooked potatoes to the spices.
7. Break down the larger pieces of potatoes as you mix.

If the potatoes are not completely cooked, here’s what you do.

1. As you break down potatoes and notice that they are still hard to break, simply add 1/2 a cup of water and continue to cook until water evaporates, this will take about 8-10 minutes.
2. (you can check the video for this recipe below).
3. Season with salt and combine.
4. Once the water evaporates, add a few tablespoons of oil to fry and make the mixing of the tempered Potatoes easy.
5. If you need a bit of gravy, pour in 1/4 of thick coconut milk.
6. Cover and simmer for further 5 minutes over low heat.
7. Serve warm with your favourite rice and curry dishes.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 268Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 18mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 2g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.

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