Aish Cooks

Dum Aloo | Baby Potatoes in Kashmiri-style Curry ~ simmered with yogurt and spices for a red fiery curry

This dish was the reason I got fennel powder years ago… and unless you’ve cooked with ground fennel before or tried out the original version of this recipe, it will be like nothing you’ve ever had. And that’s just why the addition of familiar onions/tomatoes helps when you first make this curry, even though it is not part of the authentic recipe, by keeping your taste buds in somewhat known territory. It was surprisingly very easy to make, and I really liked that the recipe does not need deep-fried potatoes as most other dum aloo recipes do. You can count on me to help you keep it simple and still deliver restaurant-style goodies! D and I loved this – the second time – when the potatoes were cooked right 😛 . So let me get going with the recipe and some notes on what might help you get it right the very first time itself!

Dum Aloo | Baby Potatoes in Kashmiri-style Curry

Slightly adapted from Vah Chef’s Dum Aloo

Serves: 4 | Cooking Time: Approx. 35 minutes

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb baby potatoes, boiled and peeled
2. 2 tomatoes, pureed (optional)
3. 1 cup plain yogurt, beaten
4. Salt to taste

For tempering/ tadka:

1. 2-3 tbsp cooking oil (olive/ vegetable)
2. 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
3. 4-6 cloves
4. 2-3 small pieces of cinnamon
5. 1 or 2 dried bay leaves (optional), torn in halves
6. 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing) (substitute with 1 tsp minced or ground/grated fresh garlic)
7. 1/2 tbsp ginger, freshly grated or ground (substitute with 1/2 tsp ground ginger powder)

For garnishing:

1. Few stems of fresh cilantro, finely chopped for garnish
2. 2 tbsp raw unsalted cashew nuts, crushed/coarsely ground

For the spice mixture:

1. 2 tbsp ground fennel powder
2. 2 tbsp ground coriander powder
3. 1/2 – 3/4 tbsp red chili powder (can use cayenne pepper), adjust to taste
4. 1 tsp garam masala / all spice powder
5. 1/4 tsp ground cardamom powder (or crushed cardamom seeds)
6. 1/2 tsp ground turmeric powder

Method:

Pre-prep:

1. Prick holes all over the potatoes, after peeling them and set aside.
2. Combine all ingredients for the spice mixture along with 3/4 – 1 cup water until fully dissolved.
3. Note: If using ground ginger powder instead of fresh ginger, add it to the spice mix too.

Prepare the base sauce:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan.
2. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cloves and cinnamon. Allow to cook for a few seconds until the oil is perfumed with the aroma.
3. Lower the heat, and add the asafoetida and ginger (or ginger-garlic ground paste). Cook for 1-2 minutes on med heat until the rawness is gone.
4. Add the spices and water mixture and cook on med-high for 2-3 minutes until the spices are cooked through fully.
5. Add the tomato puree and combine. Cook on med-high for another 5-7 minutes until oil begins to separate from the mixture.

Bringing it all together:

1. Lower the heat, Add the whisked yogurt and mix thoroughly to combine.
2. Add 2 cups water and mix together to form a thin sauce.
3. Add the potatoes and cook on medium-low heat with lid on for 15-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Cook until the sauce thickens to desired consistency, and oil is floating on top of the curry.
5. Remove from heat, add the chopped cilantro and crushed cashew nuts and its ready to serve!

Enjoy with piping hot Jeera pulao or some fresh cooked Garlic Naan!

Notes:

1. You could use regular potatoes, instead of baby potatoes, and cut into large pieces for this curry.
2. Make sure the potatoes are firm, but fully cooked after boiling.
3. Be careful with the heat level when cooking the spice mixture, add more water if needed to avoid burning the spices.