Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Dhaniya Aloo Mangodi
Dhaniya Aloo Mangodi (Lentil Dumpling with Coriander & Potatoes)

Dhaniya Aloo Mangodi

Lentil Dumpling with Coriander & Potatoes
Vegetarian●●●Origin RajasthanPrep 45 minutesCook 10–15 minutes

Crisp fried lentil nuggets and parboiled potatoes are tossed in a vibrant, spiced fresh coriander and tomato gravy. It has an aromatic, herbal flavour with a gentle heat from ginger, black pepper, and chillies.

Tempering spice

4.2 gBloomed in hot ghee (step 4)
01
4.2 g2 teaspoons
spice
Keep whole for frying.

Ground spices

11 gMixed with water and cooked with the coriander (step 3)
01
5 g1 tablespoon
spice
02
2.6 g1 teaspoon
spice
03
3 g1 teaspoon
spice
Stir together with 4 tablespoons of water to form a smooth paste.

Finishing spice

2.7 gStirred in right before taking off the heat (step 8)
Keep coarsely ground.

Everything else

01
Potato · Aloocut into cubes
1200 g4 potatoes
vegetable
02
Vegetable oil · Telfor deep-frying
to taste
oil/fat
04
46 g3½ tablespoons
oil/fat
05
Ginger · Adrakpeeled and ground to a paste
24 g1 piece
aromatic
06
250 g
herb
07
225 g
vegetable
08
to taste
salt

Method

  1. Boil 1200 g potato in salted water for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked through but still holding its shape, then drain and set aside.
  2. Heat vegetable oil for deep-frying in a deep pan to 180°C (350°F). Fry 150 g mangodi for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown, lift out onto paper towels, then drop into a bowl of water to soften.
  3. Combine the ground spices with 4 tablespoons of water in a small bowl.
  4. Melt 46.2 g ghee in a wide pan over medium heat. Tip in the tempering spice and fry for about 1 minute until crackling.
  5. Stir in 24 g ginger paste and sauté for 1 minute until its moisture has boiled off.
  6. Add 250 g coriander leaf alongside the ground spices paste, frying for 1 to 2 minutes until dry.
  7. Pour in 225 g tomato purée and cook for 5 minutes until the fat separates from the sauce.
  8. Drain the soaked mangodi and add them to the pan along with the boiled potatoes and salt to taste. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce coats everything evenly.
  9. Scatter in the finishing spice, stir well, take the pan off the heat, and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Don't have something?

Potato
  • Eggplant

    Use equal weight. Cut into large chunks; cooks down much faster (10-12 minutes) and softens into the sauce rather than staying starchy and firm.

  • Paneer

    Use 80% of the weight. Cube and add in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking; adds rich dairy protein instead of starchy bulk.

  • Dried chickpea

    Use 45% dry weight. Soak overnight and boil until fully soft before stirring into the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes.

Vegetable oil
  • Peanut oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.

  • Ghee

    Use 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.

  • Mustard oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.

Mongodi
  • Dried lentil dumplings

    Use the same weight; fry or crush as directed. Bori is usually urad-based, so it is denser and less sweet than moong dumplings.

  • Black gram dumplings

    Use the same weight; break into smaller pieces and fry or soak as needed. It has a stronger fermented note.

  • Kashmiri vadi

    Use the same weight; break into small pieces. It is spicier, so reduce added chilli slightly.

Ground coriander
  • Coriander seeds

    Dry-roast lightly in a pan and grind to a fine powder; use equal weight (1:1). Offers a noticeably fresher, brighter citrus note.

  • Ground cumin

    Use 50% to 75% of the weight. Lacks the floral, citrusy profile of coriander and turns the gravy heavier, earthier, and darker.

  • Garam masala

    Use 50% of the weight and stir in near the end of cooking. Adds warmth and depth since it contains ground coriander, but introduces stronger spices like clove and cinnamon.

Chilli powder
  • Red chilli powder

    Use 100% of the weight. Provides direct, sharp heat and red colour in equal measure.

  • Kashmiri chilli powder

    Use 150% to 200% of the weight if matching colour, but add a pinch of black pepper or hot chilli if you need equivalent fiery heat.

  • Cayenne pepper

    Use 75% to 100% of the weight. Offers a sharp, clean heat with slightly less earthy depth and less crimson colour.

Ground turmeric
  • Ground ginger

    Use 50% of the weight. Mimics turmeric's warm, earthy, rhizome background, but provides none of the golden-yellow colour.

  • Saffron

    Steep a tiny pinch (0.1 g per 2 g turmeric) in 2 tbsp warm water; use to match the rich golden hue. Contributes an aristocratic, honeyed floral flavour rather than earthy bitterness.

Ghee
  • Unsalted butter

    Use 120% of the weight; melt gently over low heat to avoid burning the milk solids, which will yield a softer, creamier richness rather than a nutty aroma.

  • Vegetable oil

    Use 85% of the weight; holds high cooking temperatures without smoking, but the final dish will lack traditional dairy depth.

  • Mustard oil

    Use equal weight; heat to smoking point and cool slightly before cooking, bearing in mind it introduces an assertive, pungent edge.

Cumin seed
  • Ground cumin

    Use 70% of the weight; add with ground spices or sauce bases rather than hot oil tempering, where it scorches quickly and turns bitter.

  • Black cumin seeds

    Use equal weight for oil tempering. Delivers an earthy profile with an additional musky, smoky, and slightly bitter edge.

  • Fennel seed

    Use 60% of the weight for tempering; offers comparable warm aroma, but leans sweet and liquorice-like rather than savoury and earthy.

Ginger
  • Fresh ginger

    Use equal weight; scrape off the skin and grate or finely julienne according to the recipe.

  • Ginger paste

    Use equal weight; stir straight into the sizzling aromatics, taking care as the extra moisture may spit.

  • Ground ginger

    Use 15 to 20% of the weight; add alongside ground spices, noting it imparts warm, dry heat rather than zesty freshness.

Coriander leaf
  • Coriander

    Use equal weight finely chopped; this is the exact same fresh herb.

  • Mint

    Use half the weight finely chopped; provides vibrant green freshness, though the flavour profile becomes noticeably cooler and sharper.

Tomato
  • Tomato purée

    Use 40% to 50% of the fresh tomato weight mixed with a splash of water. Imparts a deeper red colour, thicker sauce, and slightly sweeter cooked flavour.

  • Plain yogurt

    Use 60% of the weight, whisked smooth and added on low heat. Provides rich body and sourness, though the gravy becomes paler and creamier.

Coarsely ground black pepper
  • Black peppercorn

    Crush whole peppercorns roughly in a mortar or under a heavy skillet; use equal weight. Yields the exact same fiery heat and crunchy bite.

  • Ground black pepper

    Use 70% of the weight. It disperses heat much more aggressively through sauces and can darken the dish, lacking the crunchy specks of coarse pepper.

Similar dishes

Aloo Vadiyan
Spicy Lentil Dumplings with Potatoes
Aloo Vadiyan is tangier and more savory from the yogurt, onion, and garlic, lacking the sharp herbal freshness and black pepper heat of this dish.
  • Same: Both dishes combine potatoes and dried lentil dumplings in a tomato-based gravy seasoned with ghee, cumin seeds, ground coriander, turmeric, and chilli powder.
  • Different: Aloo Vadiyan builds its gravy with yogurt, onions, garlic, and ground fenugreek, whereas this dish relies on a large quantity of fresh coriander leaves, black pepper, and vegetable oil.
Samosa
Samosas
Samosa delivers a crispy, fried pastry crunch with heat from fresh green chillies, lacking the herbal freshness and tangy tomato base of this dish.
  • Same: Both dishes use potatoes seasoned with ginger, cumin seeds, ground coriander, chilli powder, and turmeric, cooked using ghee and vegetable oil.
  • Different: Samosa encloses potatoes and peas inside a deep-fried pastry shell, omitting the tomatoes, black pepper, and heavy fresh coriander gravy of this dish.
Khatte Aloo
Sour Potatoes
Khatte Aloo tastes pungent and sharply sour from mustard oil and amchoor, while this dish tastes herbal and coriander-forward with gentle heat and a tomato-based gravy.
  • Same: Khatte Aloo and this dish both center on potatoes and use cumin seed, ground turmeric, chilli powder, ginger, and salt.
  • Different: Khatte Aloo uses mustard oil and amchoor and includes asafoetida, fenugreek, clove, and green chilli, while this dish uses ghee, tomato, coriander leaf, black pepper, and mongodi lentil dumplings.
Masoor ki Dal
Red or Black Dal
Masoor ki Dal is velvety, earthy, and warm with clove, lacking the sharp tomato acidity and vibrant, peppery fresh-herb punch of this dish.
  • Same: Both dishes are spiced with ginger, cumin seeds, turmeric, ground coriander, and chilli powder, using ghee for richness.
  • Different: Masoor ki Dal is a simmered lentil stew made with rice cooking water, clove, and asafoetida, whereas this dish features fried potatoes and lentil nuggets simmered in a fresh coriander and tomato gravy.