Topic: Best potatoes for Bombay Aloo

[london]

Which variety of potatoes are best for making Bombay Aloo.

[bamble1976]

Hi

You will find many a different answer for this. I personally use charlotte potatoes as the hold their shape when cooked.   have tried with maris piper and similar varietes and they always seem to break up when cooking the final dish.

I think the secret is to not overcook at the pre cooking stage.

Regards

Barry

[Stephen Lindsay]

I usually go for waxy varieties (like Charlotte) than floury varieties.

[london]

Thanks for that guys, what is you preferred method of precooking the potatoes simply boiling ?, someone suggested cooking in some base sauce.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Does seem to be regional variation. Here in Birmingham red spuds are used.  Fluffy ones.  G/G Bagar and mustard seed pre-cook for the Bombay Aloo.

Rob 

[mickdabass]

Up to a couple of years ago, most Asian shops around Birmingham preferred Red potatoes - Romano,Desiree & Mozart. Two years ago there was a massive shortage with very high prices, a lot of shops switched to White potatoes - Melody, Estima and Harmony mainly because they were a bit cheaper. The same is true today.
Romano and Mozart have a higher dry matter content than say nadine and harmony.
This makes them more "floury". They take longer to cook through, but they dont start disintegrating quite as quickly. That makes them good for things like stews and casseroles...and Bombay Aloo.

Just my opinion - thats all.

[natterjak]

Hi Mick - it might be "just your view" but I hope people take notice of it as I recall you're a potato grower, therefore better qualified than any to advise on this subject, even though you're too modest to mention it in your post

I'm confused though, I always thought it was floury potatoes like king Edwards which fell apart when boiled and waxy types which stay together better. Shows how wrong you can be!

[mickdabass]

No Natterjack - you are absolutely right. If the dry matter content is very high, then they will disintegrate in the water. I do grow potatoes commercially, but my knowledge is really limited to the particular varieties we grow - of which I have mainly listed in my earlier post. Romano imo are the best. I par boil them so they're about half cooked. Ive never had a problem with them - any time of the year, although they aren't for sale in the big multiples so you might have a job finding them.

Regards

Mick