Step 1

Peel, wash, and roughly chop your potatoes. Add them to a large pot and cover with cold water. Add half of the salt and stir. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-high heat for 20-25 minutes or until very soft and almost fall apart when poked with a fork.

Step 2

Once ready, drain the potatoes and set them aside. In the same pot, heat oil over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the minced garlic (if using) and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Then, add the curry powder and toast it in the oil for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the butter and milk, and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil, then remove from the heat.

Step 3

Add the potatoes, salt, and black pepper and mix until everything is well covered in the curry mixture. Use a potato masher or a fork to mash the potatoes until creamy. You can also use a ricer, and in this case, you'll need to pass the potatoes through into the pot before you mix them with the curry and milk mixture.

Step 4

Lastly, stir in the chopped cilantro (optional). Taste and adjust the flavor if needed, adding more salt for saltiness, milk for moisture, or butter for creaminess. Serve right away!