Garlic-Stuffed Baby Potato Pulao
I call this recipe Lasaniya Batata Pulao because this rice dish is made from baby potatoes stuffed with a masala made from gujarati lasan ni chutney. The baby potatoes are cooked first in oil to give them a wonderful texture and colour. There is a version of Baby Potato Biryani which uses similar cooking techniques and methods however does not include the spicy garlic mixture. Often whole spices are used in this recipe but the heat from the raw garlic and red chillies means that whole spices are not required. Another version of potato rice is known as urulaikilangu sadam in Tamil which again uses similar ingredients. This is a recipe that you won’t find anywhere else because it’s one that my Mum came up with when she had some leftover garlic chutney from making Packed Potato Bhajiya. She chose to stuff baby potatoes with a masala made with garlic chutney, fresh tomatoes and ground spices. She added chickpeas to incorporate some plant-based protein.
What is Lasaniya Batata?
Traditionally, lasaniya batata is a Kathiyawadi Gujarati recipe of boiled then pan-fried baby potatoes cooked in a spicy garlic gravy. The gravy or sauce consists of lots of garlic, onion, tomatoes and ground spices. It is a curry or saak enjoyed with gujarati rotlis, rice, papad or fryums (far-far). In this recipe, the potatoes are “lasaniya” or garlicky because they are stuffed with a dry red garlic and tomato mixture that is potent.
Why you should make this recipe:
Vegan – it is made only from plant based ingredients making it suitable for both vegan and vegetarian diets Gluten-free – all the ingredients used in this recipe are naturally gluten-free. It’s a beautiful yellow rice dish! – according to study, yellow colour dishes makes you hungry and eating yellow food will make you happy as these foods releases significant levels of happy hormones. Full of different textures – the texture of the baby potatoes is great against the rice and chickpeas. Make-ahead – this is a perfect make-ahead rice dish and retains its spicy flavour the next day. Guaranteed to satisfy your spicy food cravings! – treat for those who loves spicy food and garlic. One pot meal – one pot meals/dishes/recipes saves energy, reduces the food waste and means less washing-up 🙂
What to serve with baby potato pulao
This pulao packs in plenty of flavour so it is best eaten as a main dish. It incorporates plenty of carbs and some protein so it is a filling meal in it’s own right. It is wonderful just as it is or goes wonderfully with cooling raita like Butternut squash raita or classic cucumber raita. I love it particularly with cucumber raita as I feel the cucumber really. (see recipe below in the notes in recipe card) I love it with Kachumber salad on the side – it adds some vegetables to the meal and the colours are so vibrant. It takes only a few minutes to make and a good way to pass some time as you eagerly wait for the rice to cook. Roasted or fried papad/poppadoms are always a good idea with any Indian rice dish. I also love my rice dishes with yogurt drinks like caramel lassi or a super creamy Rose Gulab Lassi.
Ingredients for baby potato pulao
Basmati rice – washed and soaked for half an hour in cold water. We use a good quality basmati rice which makes such a big difference in rice dishes. Baby potato – you need baby potatoes or salad potatoes for this recipe as we need potatoes that hold their shape well. Prepare the potatoes by peeling off the skin and using a sharp knife, make a cross into the potatoes but leaving one end intact. Boiled chickpeas – the addition of boiled chickpeas adds extra texture and flavour to the pulao. It also increases the nutritional value because it adds protein. The chickpeas take on the flavour of the masala really well and blend in so well with the rice and the potatoes. We have cooked our own chickpeas in the instant pot but you can use tinned as well. Drain and wash the chickpeas well before using. Garlic Chutney – we have used Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney for this recipe. It takes 5 minutes to make and is so good in this recipe. Spices – red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ground cumin and coriander, garam masala. To keep the rice from becoming too spicy, reduce the amount of red chilli powder as some will also go into making the garlic chutney. Tomato – fresh red tomato works best of any variety. Finely chop it so it can easily be stuffed into the potatoes. Fresh finely chopped coriander for garnish. Oil – use a flavourless or mild oil like sunflower or olive oil that is suitable for cooking with.
Vaghar (tempering)
These are the ingredients required for tempering. Oil Mustard seeds Cumin seeds Curry leaves Dry red chillies – go easy on the dried chillies as they too impart their own heat. You could add the dried chilli to the vaghar and then remove it after prior to cooking the rice. Hing – or asafoetida. Hing is used to aid digestion. If you do not have it, simply leave it out.
How to make garlic baby potato rice
Here are the basic instructions to make Baby potato pulao. For the exact ingredient amounts and steps, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Tips for the best pulao rice
This recipe is best made with long grain basmati rice because it is less sticky than medium or short grain. You could also use sella rice which is specially used for biryani due to its holding ability upon cooking. Soak the rice at least for 30 minutes in COLD water as this is what ensures each grain of rice is separate and fluffy. Rice should never be washed and/or soaked in warm or hot water otherwise it starts cooking and will lead to poor cooked rice. The longer you leave the rice, the quicker to cook and fluffier the end result will be. Remember that different types and brands of rice cook differently so adjust the overall cooking time and volume of water according to your rice. Use baby potatoes as they hold their shape better after cooking. Add the potatoes first and allow them to cook until they are about 75% done otherwise the rice will overcook and become mushy if it is all added at the same time. You can adjust the spice level by adding more tomato and less garlic chutney and chilli powder. You can also add the dried red chilli to the vaghar for flavour but then remove it if you do not want it to become spicy.
Frequently asked questions
How to store Baby Potato Pulao
How to store baby potato pulao? Let the pulao completely cool and put it in a air tight container. Store in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Reheat before consuming it, you may want to add a teaspoon of rice.
How to freeze lasaniya Bateta pulao? Allow the rice to go cool totally, put in an airtight and freezer safe container or zip lock freezer bag. This rice can be frozen for maximum 4 weeks but best eaten in 2 weeks. Make sure to label with the recipe and date.
How to thaw frozen rice? Take out the container of the rice and leave it on the kitchen worktop for 3-4 hours then add in the microwave safe bowl and heat it in the microwave.
Other rice and baby potato recipes
Vegetable Pulao
Takeaway style pulao rice
Tawa Pulao Recipe
Burnt garlic tofu fried rice
Yaki onigiri (grilled rice balls)
Swaminarayan khichdi
Doodh Pak/Paak
Marwari dum aloo
Schezwan/Sichuan Potatoes
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations! Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First time published in February 2016.
