Baby potatoes cooked in a rich simmered onion tomato curd based gravy paired up with hot butter naan who can resist such a tempting combination. First time I tasted Dum Aloo in a North Indian thali served at an restaurant and it was so delicious and that urged me to try it at home.
About Dum Aloo
Dum Aloo is nothing but baby potatoes simmered in a rich creamy onion tomato curd based gravy and cooked in dum style. Of all the baby potato recipes that I make my family loves Dum Aloo the best. You can even pair dum aloo with roti or chapati or Jeera Rice or pulao too. I have already made Kashmiri Dum Aloo but we love this creamy Punjabi style dum aloo more. Punjabi Dum Aloo is very mild and not so spicy with a tanginess. Dum Aloo is a very rich creamy gravy and there are so many variations of it. I saw this Dum Aloo Recipe in a magazine and tried it years back and since then no looking back this has become our family staple. This recipe is rich and creamy and sure I can guarantee it tastes delicious. It is not very spicy with a slight tangy and sweet taste which makes it perfect for both rice and phulka.
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Dum Cooking
Dum cooking is a cooking technique in which meat or vegetables are simmered or cooked over low flame, with dough sealed at the edges. Dum means to ‘cook the food on slow fire’. Usually the pan is tightly closed with lid and sealed with chapati dough or cloth at the edges to avoid steam from escaping. This process of slow cooking without steam escaping is called dum cooking. You can use a handi or sauce pot to cook the gravy if you are doing in a big batch. Alternatively you can place the gravy pan on a dosa tawa and close the pan and place a heavy weight on it. This way also you achieve the flavor of dum cooking. But here I have used a heavy enameled cast iron pan which has a heavy lid so just closed with it and dum cooked the gravy.
Dum Aloo vs Kashmiri Dum Aloo
Dum Aloo is a rich creamy side dish made using onion tomato curd based gravy. Kashmiri Dum Aloo is is made using oil and curd as base along with aromatic spices. Kashmiri style dum aloo is very spicy.
Dum Aloo Ingredients
Baby potatoes – Choose baby potatoes that are small or medium sized for the gravy to blend well with the gravy. If you have big potatoes then cut them into half and use it. Onion, Tomato – Onion and tomato along with cashews and curd form the base for this gravy. Spice powders – Kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder are the spice powders used here. Spices: Other fragrant spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds are used to give a aroma and warm flavor to this curry. Curd: Take thick curd, I used homemade curd. If the curd is watery or runny then the gravy may turn watery too. Always whisk the curd and add it.
How to make Dum Aloo Step by Step
1.To a pressure cooker add around 35-40 baby potatoes with water till immersing level along with required salt. 2.Pressure cook for 1-2 whistles. Switch off. 3.Let the pressure release by itself. Then open, strain and remove the baby potatoes. 4.Cool them down first. 5.Peel off the skin from the baby potatoes. 6.Repeat to finish. You can cut the baby potatoes into half if they are big. 7.Prick each potato with a fork, prick randomly. This is for the gravy to blend well inside also. 8.Heat 2 tablespoon oil add the cooked baby potatoes and saute for a minute. 9.Now add salt to taste along with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder. 10.Fry until it is roasted well. Remove to a bowl and set aside. 11.Now add 2 medium sized onion(sliced) to the same pan and saute until transparent. 12.Add 4 medium sized tomatoes(roughly chopped) to it. 13.Saute until tomatoes turn mushy and raw smell of tomatoes leave. Add 10 whole cashews to it give a quick mix and switch off. Transfer to a bowl and cool down completely. 14.Grind to a fine paste along with little water and set it aside. 15.Now to the same pan add 1 tablespoon oil and heat it – add one 1/2 inch cinnamon, 2 cloves and 2 cardamom. 16.Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds let it splutter then add ginger garlic paste. 17.Saute for a minute. 18.Add onion tomato paste. Rinse the mixer with water and add it around 3/4 cup. 19.Mix it well and let it boil for few minutes. 20.Now add salt to taste along with 1.5 teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and 3/4 teaspoon garam masala powder. 21.Give a quick mix. 22.Whisk 3/4 cup thick curd and add it. 23.Keep stirring continuously to avoid curd from curdling. Now add salt if needed along with fried baby potatoes. 24.Give a quick mix. Add water if needed to adjust consistency. 25. Dum cook for 10-12 minutes. My lid is heavy so closed it as such and cooked. Alternatively you can place the pan on dosa tawa and close with tight heavy lid so that no steam escapes. This is called dum cooking. 26. After 10 minutes open and add 1 tablespoon coriander leaves along with 1 teaspoon crushed kasoori methi. Give a quick mix and your creamy Dum Aloo is ready! Dum Aloo is ready! Enjoy with roti or chapati!
Expert Tips
Be very careful after curd is added, simmer and keep stirring else there are chances for it to curdle. I used kashmiri red chilli powder hence the bright orange color. You can even add 1 teaspoon of crushed kasoori methi for extra flavour. You can deep fry the potatoes till golden brown instead of roasting too. I just shallow fried it with little oil. Choose baby potatoes that are small in size. Mine was small so I didn’t half them.If you have big potatoes then half each potato. The consistency should be semi thick so adjust accordingly. If you like it more gravy kind then adjust by adding little more water.
Serving & Storage
Dum Aloo goes well with roti, paratha,phulka, jeera rice, basmati rice etc. This gravy keeps well in room temperature for 6-8 hrs maximum. However it keeps well for 2 days when refrigerated.
1.What is the difference between Kashmiri Dum Aloo and Dum Aloo?
Kashmiri dum aloo has no onion no garlic also uses minimal spices and kashmiri red chilli powder. But regular dum aloo restaurant style uses onion, tomato, cashews as base for gravy and other spices too. Both are entirely different in taste and texture.
2.What is dum cooking?
Dum cooking is a cooking technique in which vegetables are simmered or cooked over low flame, with dough sealed at the edges. Dum Aloo is simmering cooked baby potatoes in a rich creamy onion tomato curd based gravy.
3.Can I replace baby potatoes with regular potatoes?
Yes you can. First pressure cook potatoes then cut into cubes and proceed with the steps. If you have any more questions about this Dum Aloo do mail me at [email protected]. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter . Tried this Dum Aloo? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
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