KASHMIRI DUM ALOO

Hi all, had some small potatoes left and decided to make use of it. So I searched online and decided to make DUM ALOO. When I read more on it, got to know that Dum means slow-cooked, and it's a dish from the region of Kashmir predominantly a dish made by Kashmiri Hindus using small potatoes. There are 2 ways of doing it, one without onions or garlic, one with them. Will give you both versions recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Small Potatoes: 12-15 peeled

Kashmiri Red Chilli powder: 2 Tsp

Yoghurt: 3-4 Tbsp

Hing/Asafoetida: 1/2 Tsp

Oil as required

Water as required for boiling and 2 Tbsp for mixing

Salt as required

SPICES to be dry roasted and powdered (2 Tsp)

Fennel Seeds: 1 Tsp

Jeera ( Cumin): 1 Tsp

Cinnamon Stick: 1 medium stick

Cloves: 3-4

Black Cardamom: 1 medium

Black Pepper:3-4

WITH ONION and GARLIC 

All of the below must be sauteed and ground into a nice paste using water

INGREDIENTS

Onion: 1 Medium chopped

Tomatoes: 2 medium chopped

Garlic: 2 pods

cashews: 10-12

Dum Aloo

MAKING

Boil water with a little bit of salt. Once it starts boiling add the peeled potatoes and cook until potatoes are semi-soft. Drain the water and keep the potatoes aside. 

In a shallow pan, pour about 1-2 Tbsp oil and shallow roast the semi-boiled potatoes until they form a golden crust outside. Switch off the gas and set them aside.

Now in a small bowl, mix the 2 Tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli powder with 2 Tbsp water and set aside.

Take the same pan with the leftover oil from the shallow frying. Once heated, add 1/2 Tsp Hing. Now add the red chilli powder soaked in water to the pan and saute it in low flame until little bubbles come to form.

If you are making with Onion and Garlic, this is the time to add the Onion-Garlic paste that was sauteed and pureed.

If not, then once the red chilli liquid starts bubbling, add in the 3-4 Tbsp fresh yoghurt and mix it well with the red chilli liquid and cook for a couple of minutes on low flame before adding in the roasted small potatoes.

Allow the small potatoes to blend well before adding the dry roasted spice powder. Cook again for some more time ( 3-4 minutes) with the required salt and if needed some water depending on the consistency of the gravy.

That's it, delicious Dum Aloo is ready. Garnish with a spoon of yoghurt and freshly chopped cilantro.

If you are proceeding with Onion and Garlic Dum Aloo, then after adding the onion-garlic paste, you would add the roasted potatoes, spice powder cook some more with the required salt. Then add the 3-4 Tbsp Yoghurt. Cook for a couple of minutes before switching off the gas. Garnish with the same as mentioned above.

Serve it hot with fried rice or Roti's, Chapati's, Naans or Parathas.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

you can poke holes with a fork in the potatoes when boiling for them to cook all through.

If the potatoes are not the same size, i.e some are bigger, cut them into halves.

you could add green cardamom to the spice mix

you could also use dry ginger powder(1/2 Tsp) when making this dish.

Fresh yoghurt works well, not sour or the less sour the better.