News lifestyle food Move Over French Fries, Aloo Paratha, Mumbai Chefs Give The Potato A Delicious Glow-Up
Last Updated:September 13, 2026, 13:52 IST
Surprisingly not Indian, the potato arrived in India with the Portuguese traders in the early 17th century, but its popularity and cultivation were spread by the British.
News18
Few ingredients are as familiar to Indian kitchens as the potato. Boiled, fried, mashed, curried or turned into a filling for samosas and parathas, the humble aloo has long been a dependable part of everyday cooking.
Yet, despite its deep association with Indian food, many people will be surprised to know that the potato is not native to the subcontinent. It originated in the Andes of South America and travelled across the world following European exploration.
In fact, it was the Portuguese traders who are believed to have introduced this root vegetable to India in the early 17th century, while British influence helped expand its cultivation and popularity. By the time it became a staple in Indian kitchens, the potato had been wholeheartedly embraced and adapted into regional dishes across the country.
The potato is a global citizen
Today, Mumbai’s chefs are taking that familiarity a step further. At restaurants across the city, the potato is being transformed through unexpected techniques, global flavours and playful presentations. From waffles and mochi to Thai-inspired smashed potatoes and gnocchi, these dishes prove that an ingredient does not need to be rare or expensive to become the star of a plate.
Houdini’s Potato Waffle Chaat
Find me another thing as beloved in India as chaat, and aloo is an integral part of it as well. Houdini’s Head Chef Pravin Kadam has reimagined the much-loved potato chaat as a crisp, playful waffle. “The idea was to take something as familiar and comforting as potato chaat and have a little fun with it.” Potato and besan is turned into a crisp waffle that has “these amazing little pockets that hold the yoghurt and chutneys”. Finished with sev, pomegranate and coriander, the flavours are of a classic Indian chaat, but the waffle makes it playful.”
Veg Japchae Noodles at Mirai
Far beyond Indian food, potato takes on an Asian-inspired role at Mirai with the Veg Japchae Noodles. Executive Chef Sanjay Chauhan says, “The potato is probably one of the most humble ingredients in the kitchen, and that’s exactly what makes it exciting. We wanted to strip away the familiarity of it and rebuild it into something unexpected, a dish where technique transforms an everyday ingredient into the star of the plate. That contrast between humble and extraordinary is what makes cooking exciting for me.”
At Adelina, Chef and Co-founder Harshita Bhatia gives the potato an Italian makeover with Gnocchi Aglio Olio e Peperoncino. She describes them as “soft, pillowy potato gnocchi” paired with a flavourful garlic cream, Calabrian chilli, finished with a spicy pangratatto (breadcrumbs), fried garlic chips and a drizzle of Calabrian chilli oil.
Adelina’s Gnocchi Aglio Olio e Peperoncino
She explains, “We use 4 versions of garlic in this dish to add depth of flavour and creaminess. The potato gnocchi soaks up the flavours beautifully and adds another layer of softness to the dish.”
At Trèsind Mumbai, Head Chef and Corporate Chef for Passion F&B India, Sarfaraz Ahmed, gives the Spanish patatas bravas a distinctly Indian touch. “Our take on the classic Spanish tapas is made by turning the potatoes into seasoned, crisp aloo tuk – which is originally a Sindhi dish that is made by frying and smashing baby potatoes. It is then topped with sweet and sour chutney, a spicy tomatillo chutney and wasabi peas and chukki matar.”
At BANNG in Bandra, the potato travels to northeastern Thailand through Chef Manav Khanna’s Isaan Smashed Potato. It started off as an experiment to develop a vegetarian interpretation of larb, a dish traditionally prepared with chicken, prawns or fish.
Isaan Smashed Potato at BANNG in Bandra
“We wanted to create a vegetarian version, and because larb has so much freshness with its sweet, sour and spicy flavours, we thought, why not try it with crispy potatoes?” he says. The chef chose purple potatoes for their earthy flavour and striking appearance. “It’s also quite similar to an aloo tikki chaat, so there’s something familiar about it, but with all these Thai flavours and freshness.”
Potatoes are a mashed goodness
At Bndra W in Bandra, Executive Chef Akkhil Angne approaches the potato through texture and surprise with his Potato Mochi. “Potatoes are the kind of ingredient nobody really gets excited about, so we wanted to give them a reason to be. What followed was a process of experimenting with texture, technique and flavour until the idea finally clicked. The result is a savoury bite that plays with contrast: delicately crisp outside that gives way to an almost molten centre.”
Potato Mochi at Bndra W in Bandra
He added, “The dish remains comforting at the end of the day, but we wanted that first bite to make you stop and think, ‘Wait, what is this?’ And perhaps that is exactly what makes Potato Mochi work. It takes one of the most familiar ingredients in the kitchen and gives it just enough of a transformation to make it feel new again.”
Toro Fries at Portal, Kala Ghoda
Meanwhile, at Portal in Kala Ghoda, the humble potato is taken in a different direction with Toro Fries.
Founder Punam Singh says, “We are driven by curiosity; there is so much extraordinary food in kitchens around the world, and I think our guests deserve to taste it. The Toro Fries caught us by the name first. We looked into the recipes, ran a first trial, and it was immediately clear we had something. We chose to move away from the classic French fry, the queen of the potato. What began as an experiment became one of the restaurant’s most successful dishes. At the end, it’s a potato and we refuse to serve it the way everyone else does.”
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Quick AnswersPowered by
Ask News18How did the potato first arrive in India and become a staple crop?
The potato is not native to the Indian subcontinent, having originated in the Andes of South America. Portuguese traders are believed to have introduced the root vegetable to India in the early 17th century, while British influence later helped expand its cultivation and popularity across the region.
What is the Isaan Smashed Potato dish served at BANNG in Bandra?
Created by Chef Manav Khanna, the Isaan Smashed Potato is a vegetarian interpretation of larb, a dish traditionally made with chicken, prawns, or fish. The dish uses purple potatoes for their earthy flavor and striking appearance, combining them with sweet, sour, and spicy Thai flavors.
How does Tresind Mumbai give Spanish patatas bravas an Indian twist?
At Tresind Mumbai, Head Chef Sarfaraz Ahmed reimagines the classic Spanish tapas by turning potatoes into seasoned, crisp aloo tuk, which is a traditional Sindhi dish made by frying and smashing baby potatoes. The dish is then topped with sweet and sour chutney, a spicy tomatillo chutney, wasabi peas, and chukki matar.
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Abigail BanerjiSenior Sub Editor
Abigail Banerji is a Senior Sub Editor with News18’s English desk. She brings 6 years of experience across both print and digital newsrooms, spanning editorial planning, reportage, copy editing, conte…Read More
First Published:
September 13, 2026, 13:52 IST
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