Dum Aloo

Me without potatoes is like sneakers without laces :D Potatoes rank among the highest in my list of foods and ingredients that I can’t imagine my life without! Almost ever subji that I eat has to have potato in it, like aloo-gobi, aloo-pyaaz, aloo-baigan, aloo-capsicum, aloo-choli and the list goes on.  

However I choose my husband over my love for potatoes and married a ‘Jain’ guy and now having potatoes at home has become a rarity! So whenever I drop by at my mom’s place for my experiments with food, potatoes top the list of must-add ingredients and so last week I decided to indulge in some Dum Aloo, the gorgeous baby potatoes in a rich brown gravy with the tantalizing aroma of spices is a must try for all potato lovers! Hope you enjoy this!

Ingredients:

8-10 baby potatoes, peeled, boiled and cut into halves

2 large onions grinded

2 tomatoes pureed

8-9 whole cashews soaked in water and grinded into a fine paste  

7-8 cloves of garlic grinded

1-2 curry leaves

1 dried red chilly

½ tsp black cumin and mustard seeds

 1 tsp ginger and green chilli paste

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

½ tsp dried kasuri methi

½ tsp turmeric powder  

Salt as per taste

1 tsp cream and a small handful of coriander leaves for garnishing

Oil 

Method:

1.    Heat about 3-4 tbsp of oil in a wok, then add the curry leaves, dried red chilly, cumin and mustard seeds, a pinch of hing, ginger and green chilli paste, once the seeds crackle add the grinded onion and garlic paste to it.

2.    It is really important to fry the onion paste till it turns brownish and the oil starts separating. Once that happens, add to the paste 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, salt as per taste and sauté for about two minutes.

3.    Next add the pureed tomatoes to the gravy and let it cook till the oil separates again. Make sure that you stir it frequently so that the gravy doesn’t burn and stick to the base. Once the oil separates, add the cashew paste to it and again cook till the oil separates

4.    Next add the baby potatoes to the gravy, gently mix so that the potatoes get nicely coated with the gravy. Let it cook for about 5 minutes. Next add about 2 cups of water to the gravy, then add the garam masala powder and kasuri methi to it, mix well. Let it simmer till the gravy gets thickened to your desired consistency.

5.    Once cooked, turn off the heat, add about 1 tsp cream and garnish with coriander leaves. Relish with some parathas or jeera rice!