Kashmiri Dum Aloo ( Baby Potatoes cooked in Yogurt gravy)

Last few days, I received several emails and messages from the readers that they would like to see posts on some vegetarian recipes. This recipe is especially for those vegetarians readers. To my vegetarian readers, who regularly follow me, I already had few posts on vegetarian recipes, which you can see under the title 'veg dishes'. Either you can get those by searching or find them in the recipe index. I agree that currently my posts on vegetarian dishes are not that many, though I am planning to add more in near future. There is a common perception that Bengalis are non-vegetarian and don’t like any vegetarian dish. This is entirely false. Our regular menus will have at least couple of veg dishes, obviously along with one non-veg preparation J

Last weekend some of my friends came for lunch and I made couple of dishes. Kashmiri Dum Aloo was one of them. Today I will share that recipe. Dum Aloo is one of favorite preparations to any Bengali. “Luchi-Aloor Dum” is a great combination and my many Bong friends may be licking their lips as soon as they heard these two words together. Luchi or Puri means Indian Puff Bread. Aloor Dom or Dom Aloo has so many versions, ( see here another type of Dum Aloo ) Kashmiri Dum Aloo is one of them, it  is generally served with paratha (Indian fried flat bread) or Pulao (Pilaf).  It belongs to specifically Kashmiri cuisine. In Kashmiri Dum Aloo, baby potatoes are cooked in spicy-yogurt gravy. It makes the preparation very yummy. It has a sharp flavor of some roasted dry spice powder. Kashmiri Dum Aloo has a distinct red color and rich thick gravy that make the dish more attractive. The recipe is simple, needs no onion, no garlic, but outcome is really tasty! The source of the recipe is partly from one of my friends and partly from Internet. Kashmiri Dum Aloo has also different different recipes, I don't have any idea which one is authentic, but personally I liked this recipe.

Recipe of Kashmiri Dum Aloo ( Baby Potatoes cooked in rich yogurt gravy ) : Serves - 6


Ingredients : 

Baby Potato - 15 
Oil - 4 tablespoon + 2 tablespoon
Kashmiri Red Chilies : 2 / 3  ( paste ) or Kashmiri Red Chili Powder : 1 tablespoon
Yogurt - 1 and 1/2 cup  
flour - a pinch 
Green Cardamon - 2 
Dry ginger powder ( soonth ) - 1 tsp or grated ginger - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Fennel powder - 1 tsp
Roasted Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida ( hing ) - a pinch 
Salt - 
Sugar - to taste



Method :

1. Wash the potatoes and parboil. Once they are done, peel the skin and prick the potatoes all over with a fork or a toothpick.

2. Take a frying pan, add oil and heat it up. Once oil is ready,  fry the potatoes until they are crisp and golden brown in color.

3. Drain on a kitchen towel and set it aside. 

4. Dry roast the fennel, cumin separately and grind them to a powder.

5. Whisk the yogurt with salt and a pinch of flour.

6. Heat oil in a pan, add green cardamoms and asafoetida, then add ginger or ginger powder, cumin powder and red chili powder. Cook for couple of minutes until oil starts to separate from the sides of pan. Lower the flame and add the yogurt mixture, stir it and mix it well. 

7. Keep stirring until oil separates from the spice, add the fried potatoes and add salt. Add half cup of water if needed. Cover it and cook till the potatoes are well cooked and get a nice coat of yogurt mixture. When gravy starts to thicken and oil starts to separate from the sides of the pan, add sugar ( if needed ) and check seasoning. Kashmiri Dum Aloo is ready !! Serve hot.