Potato

aloo · alu

The tuber that crossed an ocean and stayed for dinner.

What it is

The potato is so woven through the region's cooking — aloo in everything from breakfast to feast — that its foreign origin surprises people. Like the tomato and chilli, it is a New World crop, adopted so completely it now feels native. Floury and waxy types behave differently.

Where it comes from

Potatoes arrived with European trade and spread across the subcontinent, thriving in the cooler north and the hills. In Bengal they even find their way into the biryani — a regional signature.

What it's called

Potato · aloo / alu (Hindi and Bengali). Botanically Solanum tuberosum. A New World plant.

In the kitchen

Aloo appears everywhere — in dry spiced dishes, gravies, stuffings (the samosa, the paratha), and the Kolkata biryani's signature potato. Floury potatoes break down into a sauce; waxy ones hold their shape. Choosing the right type is half the dish.

What we know about the claims

A wholesome everyday staple — carbohydrate, some vitamin C and potassium. No special caution.

Choosing and buying

Everywhere. Match the type to the job: floury for dishes where it should soften and absorb, waxy where it must hold.