Spiced Potatoes with Yoghurt

Category: Tasty and Satisfying Vegetarian Recipes

Golden crisp potatoes get a seasoning boost from chaat masala and turmeric before being served on a creamy yoghurt base. The dish gets its punchy finish from fresh green chutney, a tangy-sweet tamarind drizzle, and toppings like onion, chilli, and toasted seeds. It's a bold, colorful mix of textures and flavors.

Chef with a smile, ready to cook and serve.
Updated on Mon, 05 May 2025 15:32:23 GMT
Plate with golden potatoes and onions. Pin
Plate with golden potatoes and onions. | yummygusto.com

This robust Indian-style potato creation turns simple ingredients into a taste sensation. When crispy baked potatoes meet cool yogurt and bright chutneys, you get an amazing mix that'll take you right to Mumbai's food scene without leaving home.

I whipped these chaat masala potatoes up for friends with different food needs. When the plate came back empty and everyone wanted my recipe, I knew I'd found my new go-to dish for get-togethers.

Ingredients

  • Baby new potatoes: They stay firm when baked and get wonderfully crispy skins
  • Chaat masala: This key Indian spice mix adds tang and richness - try to find one with amchoor (dried mango powder) for the real deal
  • Yogurt: Pick full-fat Greek yogurt for the richest base that can handle the strong flavors
  • Fresh coriander leaves: They make the green chutney pop - grab bunches with bright, fresh leaves
  • Tamarind paste: It brings the sweet-sour backbone - go for the ready-made concentrate instead of the block type
  • Green chillies: Use more or less based on how spicy you want it - take out the seeds for milder heat
  • Coriander and nigella seeds: They add crunch and make it pretty - warm them up first to bring out more flavor
  • Red onion: Gives you crunch and zip - cut it super thin for the best texture

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the potatoes:
Slice baby potatoes lengthways about 1cm thick, then boil them in salty water for 6 minutes flat. This makes them creamy inside but still firm enough to crisp up when baked. Drain them well and pat them dry - wet potatoes won't get crispy.
Season and roast:
Mix your partly-boiled potatoes with olive oil, chaat masala, and turmeric until they're all coated. Spread them out on a paper-lined tray with plenty of room between pieces. Bake at 220°C with fan for 35 minutes, flipping now and then, until they're golden and crispy at the edges.
Make the coriander chutney:
Throw fresh coriander, green chilli, lime juice, olive oil, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until it's smooth but still has some bits for texture. This fresh, herby chutney balances the rich yogurt and potatoes. Give it a taste - it should be bright and tangy.
Prepare the tamarind dressing:
Mix tamarind paste, sugar, chaat masala, and a bit of water until smooth. This adds sweet-sour notes that make the dish pop. It should pour easily but not be too runny - add water drops if needed.
Assemble the dish:
Spread yogurt on a big round plate. Drop coriander chutney on top and swirl it gently without mixing completely. Pour half the tamarind dressing in a pretty pattern over the yogurt. Put the roasted potatoes on top, add red onion slices and green chilli. Finish with the rest of the tamarind dressing and sprinkle with your toasted seeds.
A bowl of food with a spoon in it.
A bowl of food with a spoon in it. | yummygusto.com

I love how the layers come together in this dish. When I first made it for my friend whose grandma ran a famous chaat stand in Delhi, she smiled and said, "That's exactly our family trick - building flavors one layer at a time."

Make Ahead Options

What's great is you can prep all the parts separately. The green chutney stays good up to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. The tamarind sauce lasts even longer - about a week when refrigerated. You can even boil the potatoes a day ahead and roast them just before you need them. Just wait to put everything together until serving time so the yogurt doesn't get watery and you keep that nice hot-cold contrast.

Understanding Chaat Masala

Chaat masala really makes this dish special. This mix usually has amchoor (dried mango powder), cumin, black salt, asafoetida, and other spices that create a flavor you can't get anywhere else. The name chaat comes from a Hindi word meaning "to lick" - that's how tasty it is! Store-bought works fine, but if you want to try making your own, toast some cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds, then grind them with amchoor, dried mint, black salt, and a tiny bit of asafoetida.

Serving Suggestions

These potatoes go great with other Indian dishes like dal, butter chicken, or veggie curry. To make them a meal by themselves, throw in some chickpeas or black lentils for protein. They work as a side with grilled meat or can be the star for vegetarians. When I have friends over, I sometimes let everyone build their own by setting out all the parts separately so they can layer them how they want.

A plate of food with onions and potatoes.
A plate of food with onions and potatoes. | yummygusto.com

This dish packs so many bold tastes and textures in each bite. It always gets compliments whether I'm making dinner on a Tuesday or hosting a special occasion.

Recipe Q&A

→ What’s chaat masala made of?

Chaat masala is an Indian spice mix that’s tangy and savory, made with dried mango powder (amchoor), black salt, cumin, coriander, asafoetida, and other goodies. It’s a go-to for Indian street snacks!

→ Can any parts of the dish be prepared early?

Absolutely! Whip up the chutney and tamarind sauce a few days in advance and pop them in the fridge. If you want to save time, boil the potatoes a day ahead and roast them just before serving.

→ What’s a good swap for tamarind paste?

No tamarind paste? No worries! Try a mix of lime juice with a touch of brown sugar or date syrup for that sweet-yet-tangy flavor combo.

→ Should this dish be served hot or cold?

Keep the potatoes hot and pile them on room temperature yoghurt and chutney. That warm-and-cool combo is a big part of what makes it special.

→ How can I make it vegan?

Simple! Swap out the yoghurt for a dairy-free version like cashew cream or coconut yoghurt. Everything else is plant-based.

→ What pairs well with this dish?

This dish is adaptable! Pair it with grilled meat, add it to an Indian-style spread, or even make it the star of the table with naan or rice for a vegetarian main.

Spiced Potatoes with Yoghurt

Golden potatoes, layered with yoghurt, then finished with a tangy chutney and sweet tamarind sauce.

Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
60 min
By: Sandra

Category: Vegetarian Meals

Skill Level: Medium

Cuisine: Indian

Yield: 4 Serves (Serves 4 as a side)

Dietary Info: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

What You'll Need

→ Potatoes

01 750g baby potatoes, sliced lengthwise into pieces about 1cm thick
02 2 tablespoons of olive oil
03 1 teaspoon of chaat masala
04 Half a teaspoon of turmeric powder
05 Salt and a fresh grind of black pepper

→ Veggies & Seeds

06 250g thinly sliced red onion rings
07 One green chilli, finely sliced into rounds (10g)
08 1½ teaspoons of toasted coriander seeds
09 1½ teaspoons of toasted nigella seeds

→ Green Coriander Sauce

10 30g of fresh coriander leaves
11 One green chilli, deseeded and chopped roughly (10g)
12 One tablespoon of lime juice
13 60ml of olive oil
14 Quarter teaspoon of salt

→ Tangy Tamarind Drizzle

15 1½ tablespoons of tamarind paste
16 1½ teaspoons of superfine sugar
17 A quarter teaspoon of chaat masala
18 1½ teaspoons of water

Directions

Step 01

Set your oven to 220°C fan. In a medium pot, add the potatoes with around 2 teaspoons of salt and pour in just enough cold water to cover them by 4cm. Put it on medium-high heat, let it boil, and then simmer for six minutes. The potatoes should be almost done but still firm.

Step 02

After draining using a sieve, pat the potatoes dry, then spread them out on a big baking tray that's lined with parchment. Mix them with turmeric, chaat masala, some pepper, one-third teaspoon of salt, and the olive oil. Roast them for 35 minutes, turning them once or twice, to get them golden and crisp.

Step 03

Toss all the coriander chutney ingredients into a small food processor and blend everything until smooth. Keep it aside until you're ready to use it.

Step 04

Grab a small bowl and stir up all the tamarind sauce ingredients until they're blended well. Set it aside.

Step 05

Spread yoghurt evenly on a large serving dish. Spoon over the coriander sauce, swirling it into the yoghurt without fully mixing. Pour on half the tamarind sauce, then layer with the potatoes, onions, and chilli before drizzling the rest of the tamarind sauce over the top. Finish with a sprinkle of seeds and serve right away.

Notes

  1. That chaat masala adds a punchy, tangy-spicy kick you’ll recognize from Indian street snacks.
  2. For the onions, a mandolin slicer works great to make super thin rounds.

Gear Required

  • Large baking tray
  • Parchment paper for lining
  • A food processor
  • Medium-sized pot
  • A sieve
  • A big serving plate

Nutrition Info (per serving)

Just for reference. It’s not a substitute for a nutritionist’s advice.
  • Calories: 245
  • Fat: 12 g
  • Carbs: 32 g
  • Protein: 5 g