Kashmiri Dum Aloo has become our recent favorite. It is an absolute delicious gravy perfect to go with roti, pulao and other indian flat breads too. This gravy is one of the popular dishes in Kashmiri cuisine.
About Kashmiri Dum Aloo
Kashmiri Dum Aloo is a gravy with baby potatoes simmered or dum cooked in a spicy curd based sauce. This is a delicious rich gravy from Kashmiri Cuisine. Authentically kashmiri dum aloo is made without onion and garlic. It is a spicy gravy which is apt for the biting cold in Kashmir. The Dum Aloo recipe uses Kashmiri spices like kashmiri red chilli powder, fennel and dry ginger powder. Dum Aloo gets its name because it is cooked under Dum or slow cooking. Kashmiri Dum Aloo is quite easy to make as there is no chopping / grinding, you can make the gravy in flat 30 mins. Using Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder gives a bright red color to the gravies. I usually use homemade red chilli powder. I got this recipe from my cousin who watched it in a TV show which had Kashmir recipes, then I had my own adjustments and here comes the recipe from my kitchen.
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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 chapathi 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 is the method I have used here.
Kashmiri Dum Aloo vs Dum Aloo
Kashmiri Dum Aloo is is made using oil and curd as base along with aromatic spices. It is very spicy. Dum Aloo is a rich creamy side dish made using onion tomato curd based gravy.
More Potato Recipes
Kashmiri 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. Kashmiri Red chilli powder: Kashmiri red chilli powder is the main ingredient here for the spiciness and bright red color. Kashmiri red chilli powder is not spicy like the regular chilli powder, also authentically kashmiri red chilli powder is used for this recipe. Spices: Other fragrant spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and shahi jeera are used to give a aroma and warm flavor to this curry. Spice powders like dry ginger powder and fennel seeds powder are added to this curry too. Curd: Take thick curd, I used homemade curd. If the curd is watery or runny then the gravy may turn watery too.
How to make Kashmiri Dum Aloo Step by Step
1.To a pressure cooker add around 15 baby potatoes with water till immersing level along with required salt. 2.Close with lid, put on whistle and pressure cook for 1 whistle in medium high flame. 3.Let pressure release by itself, drain water and let it cool down. 4.Peel the skin of potatoes. 5.Prick holes with fork on all the potatoes so that the gravy blends well with the potatoes. 6.To a mixing bowl – add 1 cup thick curd, 1 and 1/2 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon dry ginger powder,1 teaspoon fennel seeds powder, 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder and required salt. 7.Mix well using a whisk until smooth and creamy. Set aside. 8.To a pan – heat oil and dry the potatoes. Deep fry them as the potatoes are only half cooked. In case if you want to toast with less oil or shallow fry it then pressure cook potatoes for 2 whistle then proceed. 9.Fry until the potatoes turn reddish brown. 10.Remove and drain in tissue paper. Set aside. 11.Now reduce the oil in the pan – say keep only 1 tablespoon and transfer the remaining oil to a bowl. Heat 2 tablespoon oil then add
1/2 inch cinnamon stick 1 no cardamom 2 nos cloves 1/2 teaspoon shahi jeera – let it splutter
12.Now add the curd mixture. 13.Give a quick mix. 14.Rinse the bowl with 1/2 cup water and add it. 15.Let it boil for 7-10 mins in low flame. 16.Add fried potatoes. 17.Give a quick mix. 18.Add 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder. 19.For dum cooking : Place the dosa tawa on the stove. 20.Place the pan over the dosa tawa and close with tight heavy lid so that no steam escapes. This is dum cooking, cook for 5-7 mins. 21.Dum cooking aloo is done. 22.Switch off and Open. Oil float on top and the potatoes are well merged with the gravy. Kashmiri dum aloo is ready! Serve with any mild pulav or jeera rice or even with plain basmati rice.Goes well even with rotis!
Expert Tips
For Dum Cooking : You can even keep the pan closed tightly with a lid and seal the pan and lid with chapathi dough.This way you can keep the pan straight on the stove itself. Parboiling potatoes is a optional step. You can even deep fry them directly. Cook in low flame or low medium when you are cooking curd as it might curdle easily. There is no onion tomato or garlic in this recipe , its spicy gravy so adjust spice level accordingly. Choose baby potatoes that are a bit small. The consistency should be semi thick so adjust accordingly. Traditionally the potatoes are used with skin, but if you prefer you can peel them after parboiling as I have did.
Variations
Baby potatoes are usually deep fried with skin but I chose to peel the skin. Incase if you want to toast potatoes with less oil or shallow fry it then pressure cook potatoes for 2 whistles then proceed. Instead of kashmiri chilli powder you can add red chilli paste too. For red chilli paste : Take 5 nos kashmiri red chillies soak in hot water for 15 mins then grind it to a paste and add it. If you don’t have kashmiri red chilli powder then add 1 teaspoon regular chilli powder. Kashmiri dum aloo is authentically made with baby potatoes but if you want you can try with regular potatoes cut into cubes too. I have used a tight heavy lid so did not seal the edges. You can seal the edges using chapathi dough too.Alternatively you can use cloth or aluminium foil over the pot/pan and close with tight lid. You can add hing while tempering. Though garam masala is optional I recommend adding it as it adds a great flavour to this dish.
Serving & Storing
It goes well with roti, paratha,phulka, jeera rice, basmati rice etc. This gravy has curd as base so I would suggest to consume it the same day itself. Though it keeps well for 2 days when refrigerated.
1.What is Kashmiri Dum Aloo?
Kashmiri dum aloo is a gravy made with baby potatoes simmered in a yogurt based spicy sauce. It is one of the popular dishes in Kasmiri cuisine.
2.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.
3.What is dum cooking in Kashmiri Dum Aloo?
Dum cooking is a cooking technique in which vegetables are simmered or cooked over low flame, with dough sealed at the edges. A simple yogurt based gravy is prepared along with potatoes slow cooked or dum cooked to get a delicious warm flavour.
4.I don’t have kashmiri red chilli powder? What can I replace it with?
You can replace kashmiri red chilli powder with regular chilli powder. But add only 1 teaspoon else it will be too spicy.
5.Can I use normal potatoes instead of baby potatoes?
Yes you can use regular potatoes. First pressure cook potatoes then cutinto cubes and proceed with the steps. If you have any more questions about this Kashmiri Dum Aloo do mail me at [email protected]. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter . Tried this Kashmiri 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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