Aloo bharta is essentially a spicier version of mashed potatoes and are consumed in different parts of India with rice and flatbread. Different states in India have their own take on aloo bharta and in many parts of India, it’s called aloo chokha. It’s a truly blissful dish that is simple yet pretty intelligent. It is the comfort food of many people and is very popular in states like West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and other neighbouring states.
Video Credits: YouTube
Traditionally, it is simply made by mixing some soft-boiled potatoes with mustard, oil, onion, and salt in some green chillies. However, just like a lot of other dishes, a lot of states in India have their own spinoff of aloo chokha. Here is a list of some of the most popular varieties of aloo chokha or aloo bharta in India.
Image Credits: Unsplash
* Aloo Chokha Bihar Style
Aloo chokha is a very popular delicacy in Bihar that people like to enjoy with dal chawal and even litti. However, it can be easily used as a spread over bread and pav as well because of its flavourful taste. To make this delicious mashed potato recipe from Bihar, one would need boiled potatoes, green chilies, chopped onions, red chilli powder, mustard oil, salt, and coriander leaves.
One will have to first boil the potatoes properly in a pressure cooker and then mash them after peeling their skin. Now in a heavy-bottomed pan one has to add green chillies and onions and sauté them for a few minutes. In this mixture, one must add the mashed potatoes and the rest of the spices and cook them for a few more minutes. This aloo chokha can be served with roti, rice, puri, and of course litti.
* Aloo Makha
Aloo makha is a Bengali-style mashed potato recipe that people in West Bengal like to enjoy with some hot steamed rice and a simple flavourful dal. Dal chawal is the comfort food for many people in India and having it with a little bit of aloo ‘makha’ on the side gives the right kick to the otherwise simple dish (in Bengali ‘makha’ means mashed). To make this mashed potato dish, one has to take boiled potatoes and nigella seeds, chopped onion, mustard, oil, red chillies, turmeric powder, salt to taste, and kalaunji.
Take a pan and add some oil and then temper, red chillies, nigella seeds and after some time add onions, salt and turmeric powder. Now, after cooking them for a few minutes, the mashed potato mixture has to be added after turning off the flame. The final step is to add some fresh coriander leaves on the top.
Image Credits: Unsplash
* Odia Aloo Bharta
Odia aloo bharta is an easy-to-make yet delectable mashed potato delicacy that can be packed in the lunchbox with a bowl of curd and some rotis for the perfect meal. It is made by using boiled potatoes, mustard, seeds, curry, leaves, dry red chillies, onions, salt and green chilli. The first step is to boil some potatoes and peel their skin.
These potatoes have to be mashed properly after which one can heat some oil in a wok. In the wok, one must add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter before adding onions. Now one by one, one has to add red chillies and green chillies and stir everything for a few seconds before. Finally, mix mashed potatoes with turmeric. One should always add salt in the end.
Image Credits: Unsplash
* Uttar Pradesh Aloo Bharta
People in Uttar Pradesh like to have aloo bharta as a main dish and not a side dish. As potatoes are full of carbohydrates, they make for a very fulfilling and nutritious main course dish. One has to take some potatoes, cumin seeds, black pepper, aamchoor, garam masala, green chilli, red chilli, coriander leaves, and hing to make this delicious bharta.
After boiling potatoes and mashing them properly, one has to heat some oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Further, one should add the chillies, green chillies, and black pepper, and cook everything on low heat. As soon as the spices are properly cooked, the person should switch off the heat. In the spices, one must add some chopped onions, mashed potatoes, and other leftover spices and mix everything properly.
* Aloo Bharta Punjabi Style
In the northern part of India, especially areas like Haryana and Punjab, people like to make aloo bharta in a spicy and smoky style. First of all a marinade made from hung curd, ginger, garlic paste, green, chilli, black pepper, coriander powder, red chilli, and some Tandoori masala is prepared. Simultaneously one has to boil some potatoes and peel off the outer skin. In a pan, one has to heat some oil and add black pepper and cumin seeds. Next in the pan, one has to add some tomatoes and red chillies along with chopped green chillies. The marinade has to be put inside the pan along with the mashed potatoes. Everything must be properly mixed to make this Punjabi-style aloo bharta.