Dum Aloo

The other day I found these gorgeous fingerling potatoes in the supermarket and just picked up thinking that I have to make something out of it. Then they were sitting at a corner in my kitchen hoping to be picked, for days and today was the day. I used them to make Dum Aloo.

Dum in hindi means pressure and aloo is potatoe so you know Dum Aloo means ‘pressure cooked potatoes’.Traditionally food is placed in a pot, usually made of clay, and dough is used to create a tight seal to prevent the steam from escaping. So the food is slowly cooked in its own juices, allowing the herbs and spices to fully infuse into it, while preserving the nutritional elements at the same time.

No we will not be doing that. We will use a pressure cooker thanks to the new technology! but I wanted to tell about that so in case you don’t have a pressure cooker you can use your usual cooking pots to make this dish.

Facts: Dum Aloo is a part of Kashmiri cuisine. Kashmiri Pandit cuisine to be precise. Kashmiri Pandit food is also very elaborate, and is an important part of the Pandits’ ethnic identity. The food usually uses a lot of yogurt, oils and spices.

Ingredients:

Small potatoes – 1/2 lb ( I used fingerling potatoes but you sure can use small red potatoes)
Paste:
 Onion paste- 1/2 cup
3-4 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger ( peeled)
2 thai green chili (  I prefer green so I used them you definitely can use 1 tsp cayenne pepper or whole red chilli)
Powder:
2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin
5-6 peppercorn
1 tsp cinnamon powder
2 brown cardamoms
2-3 cloves
1 bay leave
& 2-3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup yogurt
2 tbsp milk
& salt to taste

Method:

The first thing you have to do is clean you potatoes and poke a few holes onto them using a tooth pick or a fork. This would help the spices to enter deep into the potatoes. Now if you wish you can peel your potatoes I liked them as is so I didn’t bother. Then according to the traditional recipe you’re supposed to deep fry your potatoes but I fried them in a pan with lesser oil you gotta watch your waistline! fry them until they’re brown from outside.

Then make a paste of all the ingredients listed under Paste and also keep the powder ready of all the ingredients listed under Powder.

Heat a thick bottom pan. Add oil and then the paste of onion,ginger, garlic and chilis. Fry them untill it all turns golden brown or I’ve learnt this from my dad who make the best masala ever that you add salt while frying the masala and fry untill the paste starts leaving oil from the periphery. Then you the Powder of masala that u have prepared. Cook it for a while and then add milk, cook for a few seconds and finally add yogurt. Don’t forget to beat the yogurt before adding it to the masala or it will leave lumps.

You Dum Aloo is almost ready. Add the potatoes into the prepared masala. If you feel that the gravy is too thick for you add a little water. Pour the whole preparation into a pressure cooker, seal it tight and cook for another 4-5 mins. Turn the heat off just before you know the whistle is going to set off.
In case you’re cooking it in a pot, seal the lid from all around with the help of dough so that the steam doesn’t eascape and let it simmer for a while on low heat. This method would take a little longer that the pressure cooker, probably around 15-20 mins.

Serve it with your rice or naan or a simple roti ( working on putting up the recipe for a homemade roti )