Potato Sagu

Name: Potato Sagu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: south_indian
Ingredients: 500 g potato (peeled, cubed); 1 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 2 pcs green chili (slit); 1 inch ginger (roughly chopped); 0.25 cup fresh coconut (grated); 1 tsp poppy seeds (soaked 15 minutes); 1 tbsp roasted chana dal; 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped); 2 tbsp oil; 0.5 tsp mustard seeds; 0.5 tsp cumin seeds; 0.5 tsp urad dal; 1 tsp chana dal; 8 pcs curry leaves; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp salt; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 cup water

RATING

4.6/5(92)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

A lightly spiced South Indian potato curry with a soft coconut-poppy seed base and gentle warmth from green chilies. It is comforting, simple to make, and especially good with puri, set dosa, chapati, or poori bhaji-style breakfasts.

PREP

15m

COOK

25m

SERVES

1 KATORI

213 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 8 STEPS

prep · ~15 min
Soak and grind the coconut mixture.
1.Soak the poppy seeds in a little water for 15 minutes.
2.Add soaked poppy seeds, fresh coconut, roasted chana dal, and ginger to a grinder.
3.Add a few spoonfuls of water and grind to a smooth paste.
boil · ~12 min
Cook the potatoes until just tender.
Boil the potato cubes in water until they are tender but not falling apart. Drain if needed and lightly crush a few pieces to help thicken the sagu.
TIPDo not overcook the potatoes or they will turn mushy once simmered in the gravy.
temper · ~2 min
Make the tempering.
1.Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
2.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
3.Add cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, and curry leaves.
4.Cook for 20 to 30 seconds until the dals turn lightly golden.
TIPKeep the heat medium so the dals toast evenly without burning.
saute · ~5 min
Cook the onions and green chilies.
1.Add sliced onion and green chili to the pan.
2.Cook until the onion turns soft and lightly translucent.
3.Stir in turmeric powder.
simmer · ~3 min
Add the paste and potatoes.
1.Add the ground coconut paste and cook for 1 minute.
2.Add the boiled potatoes, salt, and water.
3.Mix gently, lightly mashing a few potato pieces into the gravy.
simmer · ~8 min
Simmer the sagu until lightly thickened.
Bring the curry to a gentle simmer and cook until the flavors come together and the gravy turns slightly creamy. Stir once or twice so the coconut paste does not catch at the bottom.
garnish
Finish with lemon juice and coriander leaves.
Turn off the heat, stir in lemon juice, and scatter chopped coriander leaves over the sagu.
serve
Serve the potato sagu hot.
Serve hot with puri, set dosa, chapati, or poori for a classic South Indian meal.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Boil the potato cubes only until just tender; they should hold their edges during the final simmer.
2
Lightly crush a few boiled potato pieces before simmering to give the sagu its classic softly thickened texture.
3
Grind the coconut, poppy seeds, ginger, and roasted chana dal very smooth so the gravy feels creamy, not grainy.
4
Toast the urad dal and chana dal in the tempering until pale golden; if they darken too much, the sagu can taste bitter.
5
After adding the coconut paste, keep the simmer gentle and stir occasionally so the gravy does not catch at the bottom.
6
Add the lemon juice only after switching off the heat to keep its fresh brightness from turning dull.
7
If making ahead, loosen the sagu with a splash of hot water before reheating since the potato and coconut base thickens on standing.