Railway Style Aloo Bhaji | रेलवे वाली आलू सब्जी

Railway Style Aloo Bhaji is a no-onion and no-garlic quick curry served with any flatbread like Roti, Poori , Kachori or Paratha. It is a delicious meal that works well on long train journeys too.

Railway journeys and memories

Railway journeys are / were all about making memories. The destination didn’t matter as long as we had loads of food, talk, fun and cousins / aunts / uncles or friends to pass the time. The journey was in fact, more often than not, more important than the designation and we looked to these journeys - short or long during the summer vacations or the Dusherra break from school. 

History of meals on Indian Railways

The history of meals on Indian railways dates back to the late 19th century, when the first railway line was built in India. The early trains did not offer any food, and passengers were required to bring their own meals or purchase food at stations along the way. This included Poori - Aloo Bhaji , Khakras, Kachoris or Theplas in the North , East and the west. In the South, mostly it was rice based food like Idli-Podi (idlis smothered with Gunpowder and gingerly oil) , Puliyodharai (tamarind rice), the evergreen Curd rice (mixed with milk and a teaspoon of curd added to ferment slowly) or Mosaru Avalakki (poha mixed with curd),Lemon rice ,Biryani or their ilk. 

However, as train travel became more popular, the demand for food on trains increased. The first official railway catering service was started in 1901 on the East Indian Railway. Initially, this service was limited to first-class passengers, who were served meals in the dining car.

In 1928, the catering service was extended to second-class passengers as well, and the menu was expanded to include Indian and continental dishes. During this time, the dining car became a popular place for socializing, and passengers would often dress up for dinner on the train.

In the 1950s, the catering service was further expanded, and the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) was established in 1986 to manage catering and hospitality services on trains and at railway stations.

Today, passengers on Indian railways can choose from a wide range of meals, including vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, as well as snacks and beverages. Some long-distance trains also offer pantry car services, where meals are prepared fresh on the train.

Now over past 80-100 years, many railway stations / junctions are popular for the food that they offer, Including some rare delicacies

1. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai: This station is famous for its vada pav, a popular Mumbai street food consisting of a deep-fried potato fritter sandwiched between two slices of bread.
2. Howrah Junction, Kolkata: This station is known for its rosogolla, a soft and spongy Bengali sweet made from cottage cheese soaked in sugar syrup.
3. New Delhi Railway Station, Delhi: This station offers a variety of street foods, such as chole bhature (spicy chickpea curry served with deep-fried bread), kachori (deep-fried savory pastry filled with spiced lentils or peas), and paratha (flatbread stuffed with vegetables or meat).
4. Kozhikode Railway Station, Kerala: This station is known for its Malabar biriyani, a spiced rice dish cooked with meat, spices, and coconut milk, as well as its banana chips and halwa.
5. Kharagpur Junction, West Bengal: This station is known for its jhal muri, a spicy snack made with puffed rice, onions, tomatoes, spices, and chutney.
6. Mawa Kachori at Mathura Junction: Mawa kachori is a sweet dish made of deep-fried pastry stuffed with sweetened mawa (reduced milk) and dry fruits. It is a popular dessert in Rajasthan and Mathura Junction is one of the few places where you can try this delicious sweet.
7. Dhuska at Hatia Railway Station: Dhuska is a savory pancake made from rice and lentil batter and is a popular breakfast dish in Jharkhand. Hatia Railway Station is known for serving delicious dhuska with a side of spicy potato curry.
8. Peda at Bikaner Railway Station: Peda is a soft, creamy, and mildly sweet milk-based dessert that is popular in North India. Bikaner Railway Station is known for its famous peda shop, which has been serving delicious pedas for over 100 years.
9. Tunday Kebab at Lucknow Railway Station: Tunday Kebab is a famous Awadhi dish made from minced meat, spices, and papaya, which makes the meat soft and juicy. The Lucknow Railway Station is famous for its Tunday Kebabs, which are served with roomali roti (thin bread)..
10. Uppu Kozhukattai at Erode Junction: Uppu Kozhukattai is a savory steamed rice dumpling filled with spiced lentils and coconut. It is a popular snack in Tamil Nadu, and Erode Junction is known for its delicious Uppu Kozhukattai.
11. Bafauri at Gorakhpur Railway Station: Bafauri is a popular snack in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, made with soaked and ground chana dal, spices, and coriander leaves, then fried. Gorakhpur Railway Station is known for its delicious bafauri, which is often served with chutney.

Coming to today’s dish, Railway Style Aloo Bhaji holds many memories for us as we travelled to Jaipur and onward to Delhi by long distance train. Having bred on a staple of Rice based dishes, this was something we looked forward to on North bound trains. 

The simplicity of the dish along with the ghee used in this dish elevated the experience of eating flattened puris with this eagerly off leaf bowls and newspapers.  Let’s see how to make Railway style Aloo Bhaji - a quick to make curry that is best served with ghee-laden rotis / puris / kachoris / Theplas

Prep time - 15 mins , Cook time - 15 mins, Serves -4 

Cuisine - Indian ; Course - Side Dish / Accompaniment ; Spice level - Medium

Other curries that you can serve with Roti / Poori / Chapati / Paratha:

Ingredients to make Railway Style Aloo Bhaji

• 400 grams potato
• 3 tomatoes (pureed)
• 2 teaspoon Oil
• 1 teaspoon Ghee (skip for Vegan and sub with 1 teaspoon Oil) 
• 1 black cardamom
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 whole black pepper
• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (Dhanya)
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Chilli powder
• 1.5 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
• 1 tablespoon Coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon Amchur (Dry Mango Powder) 
• 1 tablespoon Garam Masala 
• 1 teaspoon Green chillies (finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon Ginger (finely minced)
• 1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric 
• 1 tablespoon Coriander leaves (finely chopped)

How to make Railway Style Aloo Bhaji

1. Pressure cook Potatoes or cook them in an open pot till they are fork tender. 
2. Peel, lightly smash them with a fork and keep aside. 
3. Lightly crush the coriander seeds , saunf and half the jeera in a pestle mortar and keep aside
4. In a pan, heat the oil.
5. Splutter the whole spices, bay leaf and the crushed spice mix
6. Add the ginger and chopped green chillies
7. Now add the pureed tomato and saute it for 3 mins or till leaves the sides
8. For the next steps, check out the video embedded below
9. Let me know how you liked this recipe 

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