Poori Masala is a popular south Indian style potato gravy served with puffy pooris.
Poori Masala is a thick potato gravy recipe, in which soft boiled potatoes are simmered in onion, ginger and green chillies until creamy.

Some southern states like karnataka add green peas to it and squeeze a little lemon juice at the end of the recipe. I am sticking to how we make it usually at home.
A perfect masala is creamy and soft and glossy at first sight.
Every south Indian would agree that growing up poori and masala days excite them to the moon.
I still remember I would get so excited when ever my mom made pooris and the fact is true even with my son as well.
Poori and masala are the best combination in my opinion. I sometimes like to serve with my favorite Chicken Kuzhambu / Indian Chicken curry.
Pooris are usually a weekend affair for me as it involves a bit of work and plus it is deep fried. But, in winter season I think our body naturally craved fried food.
How to eat
Serve potato masala with poori.

Other poori Side dish recipes,
Chicken Kuzhambu with coconut milk
Ingredients required
- 5 Medium sized Boiled potatoes
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 Tbsp Channa dal
- 1/2 tbsp white urad dal
- 2-3 spicy Green Chillies
- 1 Tbsp Ginger
- Onion (Thinly sliced) – 1 Large
- Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
- Chickpea Flour or besan – 1 tbsp
- 2 tsp Salt (To taste)
- 1.5 Cups Water
- Curry leaves A few
- Coriander Leaves (For garnish)

Prep work before you begin
Slices the onions, slit the green chillies, mix the besan in water and keep it ready, finely chop the ginger and keep it ready.
Break the cashews and keep it ready.
Wash the potatoes to remove dirt and cut in half and keep it ready.
Notes
- It is important to boil the potatoes well and soft to get the creamy masala consistency.
- Peel the potatoes while it is still a bit hot, as It is easier to peel them.
- Add chickpea flour is optional, but it adds a nice creamy and smooth texture to the poori masala.
- You can add green peas if you prefer, to bring a nice color and extra protein to the masala – Optional
- You can add dried red chillies instead of green chillies too.

Vegan ?
This is vegan Indian recipe. Do check out my poori recipe to go with this side dish.
Storage and shelf life
This potato masala stores well for uptown 3 days in the refrigerator. You can keep it tightly sealed so the masala will not dry out.
Pictorial recipe (step by step)
- To boil the potatoes, pressure cook with salt and turmeric powder and pressure cook for 2 whites. Once pressure is released, allow the potatoes to cool down and peel the skin off and keep it aside.
- Roughly mash the boiled potatoes with a fork to small pieces and keep it ready.

- Heat a wide pan on medium flame, add oil, once hot add mustard seeds, allow to sputter, then chana dal, urad dal and saute for a few seconds.
- Next add green chillies, chopped ginger, sliced onions and some curry leaves.

- Measure and add water, some salt to cook the onions, add Turmeric powder and cook until the onions are translucent.
- Once the onion looks soft and translucent, and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer.

- Add the crushed potatoes and mix it in the pan, use the back of your spatula and mash it down further to bring a masala consistency. Check for salt add to taste.
- Cover and simmer until the flavours are infused in the potatoes. This should take about 10 minutes on medium flame.

- Mean while, add a little water to the chickpea flour and keep the slurry ready.

- Now, open the lid and add the prepared chickpea flour slurry.
- Mix well and cover and cook for 5 more minutes on medium flame. Until the masala is bubbling.

Garnish with fresh corriander leaves and serve hot with Poories.


Poori Masala
Ingredients
- 5 Medium sized Boiled potatoes
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 Tbsp Channa dal
- 1/2 tbsp white urad dal
- 2-3 spicy Green Chillies
- 1 Tbsp Ginger
- 1 Large Onion (Thinly sliced)
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tbsp Chickpea Flour or besan
- 2 tsp Salt (To taste)
- 1.5 Cups Water
- Curry leaves A few
- Coriander Leaves (For garnish)
Instructions
Boil Potatoes
- To boil the potatoes, pressure cook with salt and turmeric powder and pressure cook for 2 whites. Once pressure is released, allow the potatoes to cool down and peel the skin off and keep it aside.
- Roughly mash the boiled potatoes with a fork to small pieces and keep it ready.
To make Potato masala
- Heat a wide pan on medium flame, add oil, once hot add mustard seeds, allow to sputter, then chana dal, urad dal and saute for a few seconds.
- Next add green chillies, chopped ginger, sliced onions and some curry leaves.
- Measure and add water, some salt to cook the onions, add Turmeric powder and cook until the onions are translucent.
- Once the onion looks soft and translucent, and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer.
- Add the crushed potatoes and mix it in the pan, use the back of your spatula and mash it down further to bring a masala consistency. Check for salt add to taste.
- Cover and simmer until the flavours are infused in the potatoes. This should take about 10 minutes on medium flame.
- Mean while, add a little water to the chickpea flour and keep the slurry ready.
- Now, open the lid and add the prepared chickpea flour slurry.
- Mix well and cover and cook for 5 more minutes on medium flame. Until the masala is bubbling.
- Garnish with fresh corriander leaves and serve hot with Poories.
Also check out other similar recipes