Learn how to make Urulai Kizhangu Varuval recipe with detailed step by step pictures. Easy Urulai Kizhangu Poriyal, Tamil style potato poriyal recipe, spicy Potato Fry recipe – best side dish for any variety rice, plain white rice, sambar or rasam!
Urulai Kizhangu Varuval is a simple and delicious side dish that I learnt to make from my mother-in-law. There can never be too many potato recipes in your repertoire, isn’t it? I am a huge fan and lover of potatoes and enjoy them in every form. Growing up, amma always made her classic Andhra Style Potato Fry for us which is my most favorite. After getting married, I adapted a number of recipes from my in-laws including this spicy potato fry that goes well as a side dish with sambar, rasam or curd. It is easy, quick and delicious.
Urulai Kizhangu Varuval
Urulai Kizhangu is potato and Varuval is roast/fry in Tamil. As the name suggests, this is a simple tamil style potato fry recipe that has very minimal ingredients. Diced potatoes are slow roasted and skillet fried on a heavy pan preferably cast iron with spices until they are golden brown and crispy. The magic of the spicy potato fry recipe comes from the use of Sambar Powder - I use homemade recipe that I learnt from my mother-in-law. If you don’t have sambar powder, you can always use a combination of red chilli powder and coriander powder. Very minimal spice powders, quick and simple recipe to make the best potato poriyal recipe.
Tips & Important Notes for Making Spicy Potato Fry
Urulai Kizhangu Varuval or Potato Poriyal is a simple and easy recipe that’s beginner-friendly. All it takes is a little bit of patience and time to get the recipe perfect. Follow the below notes if you decide to try this recipe.
Dicing the potatoes into small cubes of even shape and size helps in achieving better results. If your potatoes are unevenly diced, some might char while some remain uncooked.
Always soak the potatoes in water after peeling off or dicing them, this helps remove the extra starch and makes the fry crispy.
Always cook the potatoes in a heavy pan preferably cast iron skillet on low flame stirring them occasionally.
Serving Suggestions
Spicy Potato Fry goes really well with any variety rice recipes or plain white rice and sambar, rasam & curd. It stays crispy when hot and even after cooling down, it tastes delicious though not crispy enough making it perfect to pack in lunch boxes.
Check out other potato recipes
- Bangaladumpa Vepudu
- Urulai Kizhangu Kara Kari
- Nellai Urulai Roast
- Creamy Potato Leek Soup
- Baked Potato Chips
- Hassleback Potatoes
Urulai Kizhangu Varuval Recipe with Step by Step Pictures
In a cast iron skillet heat 2 teaspoon oil. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon urad dal and as the dal turns golden brown, add generous pinch of asafoetida and few fresh curry leaves.
Next add 3 medium potatoes diced into small cubes (~1.5 cups). Stir fry for a couple of minutes on low flame.
Now add 1 teaspoon sambar powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and salt as needed.
Mix well and stir fry for a couple of minutes making sure not to burn the spice powders.
Next add about ¼ cup of water and mix it well. Keep it covered and cook on low flame for 4-5 mins.
When all the water has been evaporated, continue cooking and stir-frying. Don’t cover it with a lid.
In the next 5-6 mins, the starch from the potatoes and moisture starts to disappear. Continue stirring occasionally and cook on low flame.
As the potato cubes start to turn golden brown, continue cooking on low flame until there is no moisture and the potatoes start to crisp up.
As the potatoes turn golden, crispy and devoid of any moisture, without sticking to the pan – remove from heat.
Serve hot immediately with any variety rice, plain white rice with sambar, rasam or curd.
Recipe Notes
- Checkout Homemade Sambar Powder recipe.
- If you don’t have sambar powder, replace it with ½ teaspoon red chilli powder and 1 teaspoon coriander powder.
- Adjust spices as per preference.
Recipe Card
📖 Recipe
Urulai Kizhangu Varuval | Potato Poriyal | Spicy Potato Fry
MEASUREMENT
1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml
Ingredients
- 3 Medium Potatoes Diced into Cubes ~ 1.5 cups
- 1 teaspoon Sambar Powder recipe link in notes
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 2 teaspoon Oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- ½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Urad Dal
- Generous Pinch of Asafoetida
- Salt as needed
- Few Fresh Curry Leaves
- ¼ cup Water adjust as needed
Instructions
- In a cast iron skillet heat 2 teaspoon oil. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon urad dal and as the dal turns golden brown, add generous pinch of asafoetida and few fresh curry leaves.
- Next add 3 medium potatoes diced into small cubes (~1.5 cups). Stir fry for a couple of minutes on low flame.
- Now add 1 teaspoon sambar powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and salt as needed.
- Mix well and stir fry for a couple of minutes making sure not to burn the spice powders.
- Next add about ¼ cup of water and mix it well. Keep it covered and cook on low flame for 4-5 mins.
- When all the water has been evaporated, continue cooking and stir-frying. Don’t cover it with a lid.
- In the next 5-6 mins, the starch from the potatoes and moisture starts to disappear. Continue stirring occasionally and cook on low flame.
- As the potato cubes start to turn golden brown, continue cooking on low flame until there is no moisture and the potatoes start to crisp up.
- As the potatoes turn golden, crispy and devoid of any moisture, without sticking to the pan – remove from heat.
- Serve hot immediately with any variety rice, plain white rice with sambar, rasam or curd.
Notes
- Checkout Homemade Sambar Powder recipe.
- If you don’t have sambar powder, replace it with ½ teaspoon red chilli powder and 1 teaspoon coriander powder.
- Adjust spices as per preference.
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂
Sowmya
Urulaikizhangu roast is my favourite too. Picture looks tempting and inviting Ramya
Ramya
Thanks much 🙂