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.