Potatoes are universally liked by everyone. We have all eaten potatoes in a variety of ways, but this recipe stands out from the rest as these are stir-fried potatoes that are simple, straightforward, and truly authentic for Bangladesh. It is typically called Alu Bhaji (Alu stands for potato, and Bhaji stands for stir-fry). There are no restrictions on eating this for lunch or supper, however, it is typically eaten in Bangladesh for breakfast with hand-made ruti or porota. This is my go-to dish for plain rice, khichuri, ruti, etc. Also, it goes well as a side dish with any meal!

This is one of the recipes that I grew up eating. Here, I am sharing this with a lot of nostalgic memories. If you know about Bangladeshi food, you would surely hear the name, Alu Bhaji or Potato Bhaji. These are bright yellow-colored potatoes sautéed in onions with spices and coriander leaves. How wonderfully I can smell the dish while writing too! Of course, it’s delicious when accompanied with rice or rutis. When I was a kid, I always used to have aloo bhaji as my tiffin.

This dish always reminded me of my mother cause she used to make it so delicious. Also, its distinct colors were used to pop out. I should also mention that my husband is a big alu lover so he loves alu bhaji a lot. I prepare it for him rather frequently these days. 

My mom used to make it as a regular breakfast and later would pack it for tiffin for me and my siblings. In my school days, Alu Bhaji was one constant thing in my tiffin box. I can say that with confidence, my mom would give me alu bhaji with plain ruti for tiffin regularly at least 300 days out of 365 days in a year. It goes without saying that it was then my least favorite item. I didn’t enjoy it because I felt it was so boring. How stupid of me that I liked the sandwiches and burgers!

After many years, I have accepted it for its simplicity. I would happily enjoy eating dal, ruti, and alu bhaji every day if you gave them to me. Even today, I take alu bhaji ruti in my lunch. And as simple as it seems, the dish requires very few simple ingredients from your kitchen pantry. Also, the taste is very delicious. It can be your next favorite dish, who knows!

Every Bengali home makes a hot bowl of aloo bhaji with some hot rotis as the traditional breakfast. It tastes so good that it can be eaten any time of day. It can either be a main meal or a side dish together with other curries and plain steamed rice. When I travel to Bangladesh, I like to have a large desi-style breakfast with a variety of foods to choose from, and alu bhaji is always a favorite. The typical Bangladeshi breakfast is a huge feast!

Not just taste-wise, it also competes with others health-wise. Potatoes are incredibly nutritious since they are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Numerous notable health advantages, including better blood sugar regulation, less risk of heart disease, and increased immunity, have been linked in studies to potatoes and the nutrients they contain.

Fiber, which helps you lose weight by keeping you fuller longer, is found in potatoes. By controlling blood sugar and cholesterol, fiber can help avoid heart disease. Additionally, potatoes are a great source of vitamins that support healthy bodily functioning and antioxidants that fight disease.

As mentioned, making alu bhaji is reasonably straightforward, and the hardest part of making aloo bhaji is probably chopping the potatoes into little pieces. The remaining steps are rather simple. This recipe is delicious and attractive enough to appeal to kids as well. Try out this really easy and tasty dish now.