🎋 Aloo Tama
आलु तामा
A uniquely Nepali curry of potato and fermented bamboo shoots with a sour, smoky depth. One of Nepal's most distinctive and beloved dishes.
🧂 Ingredients(serves 4)
- ·3 medium Potato, peeled and cubed
- ·1 tin / 200 g Tama (fermented bamboo shoots), drainedFind tinned tama at Nepali grocery shops
- ·½ cup Black-eyed peas (bodi), soaked overnight
- ·2 medium Tomato, chopped
- ·1 large Onion, sliced
- ·4 cloves, minced Garlic
- ·1 tbsp, grated Ginger
- ·½ tsp Turmeric
- ·1 tsp Cumin seeds
- ·¼ tsp Timur (Sichuan pepper)
- ·½ tsp Chilli powder
- ·3 tbsp Mustard oil
- ·to taste Salt
🛒 Where to buy
Nepali-specific ingredients and where to find them:
🥬Potato, peeled and cubed
🫙Tama (fermented bamboo shoots), drained— Find tinned tama at Nepali grocery shops
🌾Black-eyed peas (bodi), soaked overnight
🥬Tomato, chopped
🥬Onion, sliced
🥬Garlic
🥬Ginger
🌶️Turmeric
🌶️Cumin seeds
🌶️Timur (Sichuan pepper)
🌶️Chilli powder
💡 Tips
- •Tama has a naturally sour, smoky flavour that is the soul of this dish — don't rinse too much.
- •Timur is essential here — it adds a numbing warmth that balances the sourness perfectly.
- •Tinned tama is available at most Nepali grocery shops. Fresh or fermented tama in packets is even better.
👨🍳 Method
- 1
If using dried black-eyed peas, boil them separately until just tender, about 30 minutes.
- 2
Rinse tama well under cold water — this reduces the intense sourness. Taste and rinse more if needed.
- 3
Heat mustard oil until lightly smoking. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- 4
Add onion and cook until golden. Add garlic and ginger, cook 2 minutes.
- 5
Add tomato, turmeric, timur, and chilli. Cook until oil separates, about 8 minutes.
- 6
Add potato and stir well. Cook 5 minutes.
- 7
Add tama, black-eyed peas, and enough water to just cover. Season with salt.
- 8
Cover and simmer 20 minutes until potato is tender and curry has thickened. Adjust sourness — add a little water if too sharp.
