Potatoes are usually prepared mashed, baked, roasted, or fried. But have you ever tried making potato curry? Well, our homemade Sri Lankan-style creamy yellow potato curry is an incredible soul-satisfying dish you’ll never resist! It is not overwhelmingly spicy but has the right amount of flavor, filled with an oozing creaminess with chunks of potatoes that melts in your mouth.

This is a staple in Sri Lankan households and restaurants, often served with plain white rice, plain bread, or their traditional food- string hoppers. This recipe only calls for a few simple ingredients you can easily find in an Asian store. So, let’s get started!

This potato curry calls for several flavorful spices and herbs. Click on this link and refer to this post to learn about the essential spices and herbs used in Sri lankan cuisine.

Homemade Sri Lankan-style Creamy Yellow Potato Curry Recipe!

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Recipe by SpiceRally

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Total time

minutes

Our version of Sri Lankan-style creamy yellow potato curry is simple and easy to make. Tender chunks of potatoes incorporated with creamy, spicy coconut gravy will make you such a heavenly treat! Make this a part of your weeknight meal, and see how your family loves the Asian twist you made!

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Ingredients

Spices & Herbs
1 1/2 tsp 1 1/2 Sri Lankan unroasted curry powder
1/2 tsp 1/2 Ground turmeric
1/4 tsp 1/4 Ground fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp 1/4 Ground cinnamon
2 2 Green chiles
1 1 Sprig of Curry leaves
1 piece 1 Pandan leaves (about 1-inch pieces, torn)
Other ingredients
5 5 Potatoes (medium-sized)
4 4 Shallots (medium-sized)
1 tsp 1 Sea salt (or to taste)
1 1/2 1 1/2 Maldive fish powder (optional)
10 tbsp 10 Coconut milk powder
3 1/2 cups 3 1/2 Lukewarm water
Equipment
1 1 Saucepan (thick-bottom) / Dutch oven
1 1 Plate
1 1 Bowls
Spoons

Directions

To begin with, wash and peel the potatoes. Then cut each of them into halves and chunks, and set the potatoes aside on a separate plate.
Now slice the shallots, cut the green chiles, and remove the curry leaves from the sprig. Wash them with the torn pandan leaves and set them aside on another plate/bowl.
To make coconut milk:
Take two separate bowls. Add seven tablespoons of coconut milk powder and 1 1/2 cups of lukewarm water in one bowl. Mix well and make your thick coconut milk. Set it aside.
Then in the other bowl, put the remaining three tablespoons of coconut milk powder and 2 cups of lukewarm water. Mix them and prepare your light coconut milk. Now set this as well.
Making the yellow potato curry:
First, add 1 cup of light coconut milk to the saucepan/ Dutch oven and the potato chunks.
Mix in the ground turmeric and salt.
Now keep the saucepan/ Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat.
Close the lid and allow the potatoes to cook for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, open the lid and insert a fork into one piece of potato to check if the potatoes are cooked through. If not, close the lid again and cook until all the potato chunks are tender and well-cooked. Stir occasionally, not allowing the water to boil.
Once the potatoes are cooked and the coconut milk is completely absorbed, stir in the remaining cup of light coconut milk into it.
Then, mix unroasted curry powder, ground cinnamon, cut shallots, green chiles, curry leaves, pandan leaves, and Maldive fish powder with the potatoes. Mix well and increase the flame to medium-high heat.
Bring your potato curry to a simmer, stirring constantly.
Once the curry starts to simmer, mix the prepared 1 cup of thick coconut milk.
Once your potato curry starts to simmer once more after the thick coconut milk is added, stir in the ground fenugreek.
Stir well and switch off the flame. Do your taste check and add more salt if needed.
Keep stirring your potato curry for another five more minutes to avoid the curry getting clumped up.
Serve warm with plain white rice or bread!

Notes and Suggestions

Although we have used coconut milk powder for more convenience, it would be best to use freshly squeezed coconut milk for the best authentic flavor.
This creamy yellow potato curry is not hot. But if you prefer some heat, add about one teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder or red chile powder.
Skip Maldive fish powder if you prefer a vegetarian/ vegan version of this dish.
Sometimes it might be hard for you to find curry leaves in the western market. But if you are living in the US, you can check out this ingredient at Patel Brothers, which is an Indian store. These curry leaves come in the name of “neem leaves.” These are not what they traditionally use in Sri Lankan cuisine. But still, these will work as well.
Leftover curry should be stored in an air-tight glass container and kept in the refrigerator for up to two days.