Dum Aloo is a very popular traditional dish from the state of Kashmir. It is popular throughout India and is found on the menu card of many restaurants. It is made from small baby potatoes that are cooked an deep fried. These fried potatoes are them cooked in the tomato, onion based gravy on low heat till the flavors of the spices are absorbed in the potatoes. It is served with roti, rice, paratha, naan, kulcha or puri.
Always try to use small baby potatoes. However, if you do not have the baby potatoes you can cook and cut the big potato into four parts. I have used some big potatoes too as I was short of the baby potatoes. The potatoes need to be cooked first. You can either cook them in the boiling water in a big pot for 15 minutes or cook them in a pressure cooker. I have cooked them using a pressure cooker. In both the case, take care not to overcook the potato. They should be firm. Once cooled remove the skin of the potatoes and prick them with a fork all over. This helps them to absorb the flavor while frying and cooking in the gravy.
Usually, the potatoes are pricked and deep fried in the oil till golden. This gives a very rich taste and crispy texture to the potato. But if you are health conscious and want to avoid oil you can shallow fry the potatoes instead. I have shallow fried the potatoes. I have also marinated the potatoes in spices before shallow frying. Potatoes are bland in taste and marinating them with spices enhances their flavor.
Cashew nuts increase the richness of the gravy. The texture of the gravy becomes silkier and smoother. Fennel seeds impart a very unique taste to the dish. The use of Kashmiri red chili powder gives bright red color to the dish without making it too hot. Always use fresh yogurt. It should not be sour. You can also add cream to the gravy for extra richness.
Traditionally mustard oil is used to cook Dum Aloo. I have used the regular cooking oil.
Enjoy making this lip-smacking dish and please share your reviews and comments!
Dum Aloo
Ingredients
For marinating potato
- 30 small baby potato washed and boiled( they should be cooked but firm)
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp coriander cumin powder dhania jeera powder
for gravy
- 3 small tomatoes washed and chopped roughly
- 4 small onion washed and chopped roughly
- 15 cashew nut
- 2 green chili or as per spice level required
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1 tsp red chili powder kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 tsp coriander cumin powder dhania jeera powder
- 2 tbsp oil for shallow frying potatoes
- 1/2 tsp kasuri methi
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida hing
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 cloves laung
- 2 cardamon elaichi
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp kasurmi methi powder
- 2 tsp ketchup or sugar
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 cup yogurt it should be fresh and not sour
- salt as per taste
- coriander for garnishing
- 1.5 cup water or as per the consistency of gravy required
Instructions
For marinating potato
- Add oil in a bowl. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander-cumin powder. Mix well.
- Take the boiled potato. Pierce them all around with a fork and coat them gently in the marination. Cover and leave it aside for 30 minutes.
For gravy
- In meantime start preparing gravy. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, green chili, ginger, garlic and cashew nuts. Toss them for a minute.
- Add the chopped onions. Saute till translucent.
- Add the chopped onions.
- Mix well and cook the mixute till the moisture dries out.
- Add the spices - turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander cumin powder. Mix well.
- Saute for 2-3 minutes. Remonve in a bowl to cool and the grind into a smooth paste in a grinder.
- Till the gravy in getting cooled, heat oil in pan and shallow fry the marinated potato in batches. They should get nice golden from all the sides. (you can also deep fry the potato ).
- The shallow fried potato are ready.
- In the same pan used for shallow frying potato, add cloves, cardamon, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, kasuri methi, asafoetida. Saute them and then add ginger garlic paste.
- Add the prepared tomato, onion and cashew nut paste. Saute for 5-7 minutes or till the paste dries on medium heat stirring continuously.
- Add water and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add fresh yogurt and mix well. Keep the heat low while adding yogurt to avoid curdling of yogurt. Keep on stirring.
- Add garam masala and ketchup or sugar and mix well. Add the powdered kasuri methi and mix well.
- Add the shallow fried potato and mix well. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes till all the flavor is absorbed by potato. The Dum aloo is ready.
- Garnish with coriander and serve with hot roti, paratha, naan, kulcha , puri or steamed rice or jeera rice.
very lovely recipe