Tag: Aloo Dum

Side Dishes for Rotis/Dosas/ Naan.

Kashmiri Aloo Dum ( Baby Potatoes in spiced yoghurt gravy)

Shoba21 Comments

The humble potatoes are what makes the most exotic and richest of dishes and this is very very true. A potato can literally take so many forms – fries, chips, rings, add it to a couple herbs and cheese and you make a casserole, indianise it with spices and make alu dry fry,Alu rassewale which is a gravy form, cook it and add couple veggies and spices roll it in bread crumbs and you get amazing Cutlets, add it to your kadhi, stuff it with cheese and you get stuffed potatoes, or simply bake it in its skin and enjoy it with salt and butter like the english do! Its amazing that this root tuber can do so much and is so versatile. Aloo Dum itself has a variety of versions and this Kashmiri Aloo dum is inspired by the Great Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and of course, there is my blogger friend Aipi of  USMasala. Try it and then there is no looking back!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Pound Baby Potatoes.

3 Bay leaves.

1 Stick Cinnamon.

3-4 Cloves.

2-3 Elaichi Pods Powdered.

1 Tsp Jeera.

1 1/2 Tbs Fennel Powder/ Powdered Somph.

1 Tbsp Dhania Powder.

1/4 Tbsp Ginger Powder.

1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder.

1/4 Cup Water.

1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic.

2/3 Cup Yoghurt Well beaten.

2 Tbsp Cashew Powder.

1 Tsp Sugar.

1 Tsp Kasuri Methi.

1/2 Tsp Garam Masala Powder.

Salt.

Turmeric.

PREPARATION:

  • I love my little electric rice cooker and use it to steam cook veggies. I experiment cooking aloo with it and I love that I can control the amount of cooking on any vegetable. I dont have to wait for a whistle and ten minutes!!! So I prick my baby potatoes with a fork, and toss them in water with a little salt and cook them well, but retain their firmness. Set aside.
  • In a flat bottomed kadai, add 2 tbsp of oil/ ghee and pop in the whole masalas – jeera, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and allow it to fry in the oil for a couple minutes.
  • Dissolve the fennel powder, dhania powder, ginger powder and 1/2 tsp red chilli powder in the 1/4 cup of water and mix it well.
  • Add it to the sizzling oil in the kadai and stir in vigorously and wait until the oil seperates which should take a couple minutes.
  • Now add the beaten yoghurt to the kadai and stir it well bringing down the heat a bit and to be careful not to break the components of the yoghurt.
  • Now add 1 cup of  water and allow for the mixture to simmer for about 5-10 minutes.
  • Add the boiled potatoes, the remaining 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, salt, garam masala, kasuri methi, sugar and cashew powder.
  • Mix in all the ingredients well and allow to cook on slow flame for about 15-20 minutes.
  • When the oil seperates from the gravy and  you see a homogenous consistency switch off the flame  and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Side Dishes for Rotis/Dosas/ Naan.

Aloo Dum (Baby Potatoes in Spicy Red Gravy served with lemons and onion slices).

Shoba19 Comments
Aloo Dum
Aloo Dum

Aloo Dum has always been a favourite of mine when we were little kids. The concept of whole baby potatoes was something very novel and so this was a dish that was always on the top of my favourites. Amma used to make Kutty Aloo Fry with the baby potatoes, which was also a delicacy to be had with steaming hot Bisi Bela Bath or Araithu vitta Vengaya Sambar.

During my short stint in Bangalore one of my friend`s mom made such awesome Aloo Dum. Her mother learnt it from the Nawabi cooks in Hyderabad in those days and aunty had carefully passed on her recipe to me.

The actual recipe calls for dry coconut but I did not have it ready in my pantry today. The recipe tastes just as great. Try it and you will realise that it is even better than the restaurant style Aloo Dum served with a lot of grease!!!

Chopped Tomatoes.
Chopped Tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS:

1 kg of Baby Potatoes.

1 Big Red Onion.

1 Big Homegrown Tomato or 2 Roma Tomatoes.

Ginger 1 inch

Garlic 3 Pods

Dry Coconut – 1 Tbsp.

Dried Kasuri Methi – 1 Tbsp.

1 tsp Garam Masala Powder.

1 tsp Red Chilli Powder.

1/2 tsp Jeera Powder.

1/2 tsp Dhania Powder.

1/4 tsp Methi Powder.

1 Tbsp Broken Cashew pieces.

Salt to taste.

Chopped Pudina

Chopped Cilantro.

3/4 – 1 cup Tamarind Water.

Cloves, Bay Leaf, Jeera  etc for seasoning.

Lemon quarters and sliced onion to serve.

PREPARATION:

  • Wash the baby potatoes in water and prick  them on both sides with a fork. This is to enable them to cook well in the salted water. Keep the skin on.
  • Cook the baby potatoes in salted water to which you can add a bay leaf and 1 or 2 cloves. Cook to one whistle only. Set aside.
  • In a kadai, add oil and saute the onions well. Set aside to cool.
  • In the same kadai, saute the chopped tomatoes and set aside to cool.
  • In the mixer grind the following: Sauted Onions, Dry coconut, Garam Masala Powder, Garlic, Ginger, Jeera Powder, Dhania Powder, Methi Powder, Cashews.
  • Make sure that they are all ground to a smooth paste nad keep aside.
  • In the kadai, add 2-3 spoons of oil, jeera a clove, bay leaf and immediately the ground paste. Saute the paste in oil until most of the raw smell is gone.
  • Now add the sauteed tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, chopped cilantro and pudina and stir well.
  • After a few more minutes, add the cooked baby potatoes and stir in well for a few more minutes.
  • Now add the tamarind water in the kadai and keeping the flame on medium low allow to cook covered.
  • The aim is to allow the aloo to get cooked in the kadai, until the oil seperates and to keep it also covered to lock in the aromas.
  • When the oil seperates, switch off the flame and serve HOT with parathas or phulkas. or simple Tiranga Pulav.
  • Restaurant style ALOO DUM is served with lemon and sliced onions.

As the oil seperates..
As the oil seperates..

HINT:

This could also be made in to a dry starter entree by cutting down the tamarind water and allowing to saute until the gravy is absorbed on a slow flame. Alternately, bake it in the oven covered with foil at 400 F for 3-4 minutes. Crunchy but soft Aloo Dum Dry is ready!!!

Aloo Dum served with piping hot phulkas are packed and sent to Viki`s Kitchen for her “Side Dish for Chapathi” Event which is on until Sep 15`th 2009.

A side dish for chapathi
A side dish for chapathi