Easy to make, crispy and delicious pan-fried baby potatoes seasoned with zesty Indian spices, lemon juice and cilantro are perfect as side dish or starters. They turn out absolutely irresistible with crunchy outer skin, tender insides encapsulated in lip-smacking spicy tangy flavours.
These spiced whole baby potatoes instantly elevate your regular meals like dal-roti or rice and are great option to pack in lunch box or can even be served as starter / snack with this green cilantro mint chutney. They can be made either on stovetop or air fried (both methods are covered in detail this post).
As potatoes are liked by people of all ages, they can also be included as finger food in party or potluck menu. You can always adjust the spices in them depending on the crowd you are serving to or as per you liking.
This Indian style baby potatoes recipe is:
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Gluten free
- No onion & No garlic
- Great option as side dish or snack
Baby potatoes are like bite-size version of regular potatoes and are also known as little or mini potatoes. A 100 grams serving of a baby potatoes has approx. 90 to 100 calories. They can be steamed, pan fried, roasted in oven, marinated / grilled or even air fried to create variety of dishes.
The most satisfying part of having these mini potatoes is their perfectly crispy outer skin which is also known to be packed with nutrients and anti-oxidants. If you wish (& have that kind of patience) you can peel them but I like to leave it on. Just take care to scrub the potatoes well to get rid of any dirt on surface.
The spices used to season the potatoes are the ones available in most Indian kitchen like cumin seeds, coriander and red chilli powder. I have also added chaat masala here which is basically blend of mixed spices and adds tangy flavour. Feel free to skip if you don’t have it.
Apart from spices, lemon juice and chopped cilantro are added for fresh vibrant flavour. If you do not have lemon juice, you can add amchoor (dry mango powder) but please do not skip as its sourness compliments the heat from spices.
I have always seen by mom pan-frying these small potatoes without boiling first but it is possible only if the peel on them is very thin (almost paper like). As these days most variety of mini-potatoes have thicker skin, it is better to parboil them first to cut down the cooking time later.
Hope you will enjoy these simple spiced baby potatoes recipe. More recipes you might like to try:
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Aloo beans (Potato Beans)
- Herby Potato Salad (no mayo)
- Cheesy Roasted Baby Potatoes
- Aloo Gobi (Stir fried Potatoes Cauliflower)
Ingredients:
- Baby Potatoes / Mini Potatoes- 500gms (~28oz.)
- Cooking Oil- (1+1/2) tbsp
- Cumin Seeds (Jeera)- 1 tsp
- Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder)- (1+1/2) tsp
- Red Chilli Powder- 1/2 tsp (to taste)
- Garam Masala- 1/4 tsp
- Chaat Masala- 1/2 tsp (optional)
- Salt- 3/4 tsp (to taste)
- Lemon Juice- 2 tsp
- Cilantro / Coriander (chopped) – 2 to 3 tbsp
Directions:
Stovetop Method
Step 1:
Wash and scrub the baby potatoes well to get rid of any dirt. Add them to a large pot along with 3-4 cups of water. Bring it to boil and then cover for 6-7 minutes (parboil). Drain them over a colander and keep aside.
Step 2:
Heat ghee or oil in a heavy bottom flat pan. Add cumin seeds and sauté for 30-40 seconds.
Step 3:
Add parboiled mini potatoes and pan-fry them on medium heat till their skin wrinkles slightly and becomes crunchy.
Shake the pan every 1-2 minutes so that each potato get golden brown colour on all sides. This takes around 6-8 minutes.
Step 4:
Check a potato by pricking with knife or fork if it is cooked completely from inside. There should be no resistance. Add salt, spices and mix well (If you wish you can also add garlic powder at this step). Cook for 1-2 minutes more.
Step 5:
Add lemon juice and chopped cilantro (or coriander) in the end. Mix lightly. Instead of lemon juice you can add amchoor also (dry mango powder). Taste and adjust salt or spices as per your liking. Serve them hot.
Air fryer Method
No need to boil potatoes if you are cooking them in air fryer. Just wash them well and pat dry on kitchen towel before proceeding with the recipe. If any potato is large in size, cut it into half.
Step 1: Add cleaned mini potatoes to a bowl and add around 1 tbsp oil or ghee along with generous sprinkle of salt. Toss well.
Step 2: Preheat air fryer at 200°C (390°F) for 4-5 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to preheated air fryer basket. Air fry at 200°C (390°F) for 15-16 minutes while shaking the basket every 5 to 6 minutes.
Step 3: Check one of the potatoes by piercing with skewer or fork. They should be easily pierce-able all the way without any resistance else air fry for 2-3 minutes more. Transfer them back to the same bowl & add all the spices (use cumin powder instead of seeds). Mix well.
Step 4: Air fry for 1-2 minutes more to make the potatoes crispier. Before serving add some lemon juice (or amchur) and garnish with cilantro.
Note: We are adding spices towards the end of cooking to prevent them from burning because of high temperature. Also, it is better to use cumin in powdered form as they stick better to potatoes (cumin seeds can fall below through the mesh in air fryer basket).
How to store & reheat leftover potatoes?
You can store any leftover potatoes in an airtight container in fridge. Reheat them in microwave or air fryer. I prefer air frying over microwave as it makes the outer skin crunchy again.
Pin for later:
(Note: The post was originally published on 22 Feb’2016 and has been updated with better images and recipe on 15th Feb’2025.)
If you try this baby potatoes fry recipe & share pics on social media, then don’t forget to tag us on Facebook, Instagram or use #kuchpakrahahai.
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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