Indian Potato Dumplings in Yogurt-Cashew Sauce Recipe
These delicate potato dumplings in a yogurt-cashew sauce are inspired by North Indian festive dishes, where potatoes are paired with creamy nut-based gravies. In this version the dumplings are soft yet hold their shape, and the sauce has a gentle nuttiness from cashews and a pleasant tang from yogurt, making it lighter than typical cream-based sauces. It’s a great dish for a weekend lunch or a small gathering: it looks impressive, yet the ingredients are very everyday.
In northern India, potato dishes in creamy gravies often appear at weddings and festive feasts as a vegetarian alternative to meat-based dishes.
This dish is somewhat reminiscent of Polish meatballs in sauce, but instead of meat you have potato dumplings, and the sauce has a delicate, nutty character thanks to cashews and yogurt., Compared with heavy cream-based sauces, this version is lighter, with a distinct yet gentle tang from the yogurt., It’s also characteristic that the dumplings are first browned and only then briefly simmered in the sauce, so they keep a soft interior and a lightly crisp exterior.
Dlaczego ta wersja działa
- The dumplings are fried rather than boiled, so they keep their shape in the sauce and don’t fall apart.
- The yogurt is mixed into the sauce over low heat, which minimizes the risk of curdling.
- The addition of cashews gives creaminess without using a large amount of heavy cream.
Chef's tips
The most common mistake is shaping the dumplings too large – then it’s hard to fry them evenly and the center stays cold while the outside is already browned., It’s better to make more smaller dumplings that are easier to turn in the pan., If you don’t have a high-powered blender, soak the cashews longer, even 30 minutes, so they blend smoothly., If the sauce seems too thick after adding the yogurt, don’t be afraid to add a bit of water – after a short simmer it will thicken again but stay more velvety.
How to serve
This dish looks best served in a wide bowl, with the dumplings partially peeking out of the sauce and sprinkled with fresh herbs., To drink, serve lemon water or a light fruit compote, as the sauce is mild and slightly sweet., It’s perfect for a family weekend lunch or as one of the dishes for a homemade “Indian night” with friends.
Na co uważać
- Do not add yogurt to a very hot pan – always reduce the heat and stir, otherwise the sauce may curdle.
- The potato mixture must not be too wet, or the dumplings will fall apart during frying – if needed, add a little more potato starch.
Zamienniki
- Cashews can be replaced with blanched almonds while keeping a similar creaminess in the sauce.
- Plain yogurt can be swapped for thick kefir, but add it even more carefully, as it curdles more easily.
- Potato starch can be replaced with cornflour or wheat flour if you don’t need a gluten-free version.
Ingredients
- potatoes - 600 g
- potato starch - 2 tablespoons
- plain yogurt - 250 g
- cashews - 60 g
- milk - 100 ml
- onion - 1 piece
- garlic - 3 cloves
- ginger - 10 g
- oil - 3 tablespoons
- cumin ground - 0.5 teaspoons
- coriander ground - 0.5 teaspoons
- turmeric ground - 0.25 teaspoons
- sugar - 0.5 teaspoons
- lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
- salt
Preparation
- Peel the potatoes, cut into pieces and cook in salted water until tender (about 15–20 minutes), until they break apart easily when pierced with a fork; drain and set aside for a few minutes to let the excess moisture evaporate.
- Mash the hot potatoes thoroughly into a smooth, lump-free purée, add the potato starch and 0.5 teaspoon of salt, mix and set aside to cool slightly until the mixture is warm but can be shaped in your hands.
- Form walnut-sized balls from the potato mixture, pressing them lightly so they have no cracks; you should get about 16–20 dumplings.
- Pour hot milk over the cashews and set aside for 10 minutes until they soften, then blend with the milk into a smooth, lump-free paste.
- Finely chop the onion; chop or grate the garlic and ginger.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry the potato dumplings in batches for 4–5 minutes, turning them until golden brown on all sides; transfer to a plate.
- In the same pan (add 1 tablespoon of oil if needed) sauté the onion: fry for 5–7 minutes over medium heat until soft and lightly browned, then add the garlic and ginger and fry for another 1–2 minutes.
- Add the cumin, coriander and turmeric, fry for 30 seconds until the spices become very fragrant, then add the cashew paste, stir and cook for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and starts to gently “puff”.
- Reduce the heat to low, add the yogurt (preferably at room temperature), stirring constantly so it doesn’t curdle, pour in about 100 ml of water, add the sugar, a pinch of salt and cook for 3–4 minutes until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Gently place the fried potato dumplings into the sauce, spoon the sauce over them to coat, cover and simmer on very low heat for 5 minutes until the dumplings are heated through and slightly soak up the sauce; finally season with lemon juice and additional salt to taste if needed.
Storage
Store the dish in the fridge in an airtight container and reheat very gently over low heat, adding a little water or milk so the sauce doesn’t split., Yogurt-and-nut sauces don’t freeze well – after thawing they can curdle.
I like to make these dumplings when I invite guests who are “afraid” of spicy Indian food – the sauce is mild and the dish looks festive., I often serve it in a large bowl in the middle of the table, and everyone helps themselves to dumplings and sauce with a spoon, just like at a family-style meal.
