Non-fried Dum Aloo
Dum Aloo means Potato strong enough to absorb all the flavors and spices in the curry. 😀 he he!!! just kidding!!!!Looking for the healthier version, I found that dum aloo could be prepared without deep frying and wasting less time. My folks were totally amazed after eating this non-fried yet equally tasty Dum Aloo ,which I am sharing with you today. If you gaze through it thoroughly you will see ,that these baby potatoes are enjoying in a spa pool.. 😛
This sabzi goes well with roti, paratha, puri or white basmati rice. I served it with paratha and Roomali roti.Moreover this sabzi is prepared without onion and garlic, hence could be had during navrataras(Indian Holy festival) too.Since this is not too spicy ,it is also called as UP style Dum Aloo.This is totally Saatvik 😛 but yes rich and yummy indeed!!
INGREDIENTS:
- Baby potatoes boiled and halved or whole – 6-7
- Cooking oil – 5 tbsp
- Tomatoes pureed – 3-4
- Ginger – 1⁄2 inch
- Green chillies – 1-2
- Yoghurt/curd/buttermilk – 3 tbsp
- Bay leaf(Tej patta)- 1-2
- Green Cardamom ( Chhoti Elaichi)- 4
- Cloves (laung)- 2-3
- Caraway seeds(Shah Jeera) – 1 tsp
- Turmeric – 1⁄4 tsp
- Fennel powder or Fennel(saunf powder) – 1⁄2 tsp
- Coriander powder (dhania powder)- 1⁄2 tsp
- salt to taste
- Kashmiri red Chilly powder (lal mirch)- 1⁄2 tsp
- Asafoetida (hing)- 1 pinch
- Cream – 2 tbsp(optional)
- Curry powder (garam masala)- 1⁄4 tsp (optional)
METHOD:
|Preparation time : 10 mins | Cooking time : 15 mins | Serves 3-4 persons at a time |
1. Take a fork and prick all the boiled and peeled potatoes on 3-4 spots. This is for ensuring that ur potatoes get Dum, i.e all the spices.You may wash the fresh baby potatoes nicely,parboil them and then without peeling them just prick them with a fork.Halve them or keep them whole as u like the size.
Note : You may boil the potatoes in pressure cooker with some lemon zest or lemon peel in it. This avoids blackening of the interior walls. Or you may microwave them 5-6 baby potatoes for 5 mins.
Take a non-stick pan and add 3 tbsp cooking oil in it. Heat it over medium flame,now add boiled potatoes to it.Let them roast till they get little crispy on the outside. For me it took nearly 8 mins. Also stir them in-between to avoid sticking to the pan. If some of the potatoes stick to the pan, don’t worry.Just scrape them when you are done roasting them.Don’t discard this scrapped material ,you may grind them with masala for your gravy.;)
Now heat another pan, or same pan and add the remaining oil in it. Add caraway seeds,hing in it and let them crackle.
Next add the whole spices viz. bay leaf, cloves and cardamom in it.Saute them for less than a minute. Now add the pureed tomato-ginger paste to it. Alternately you may grind these spices along with fennel seeds and then add the powdered masala.
Saute them on medium to low heat for 2 minutes . Then add the fennel powder, coriander powder, kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric and salt to taste.
Mix them well and add water to it. Bring it to a boil.Add the potatoes to it and continue stirring.
Once it starts boiling add the slit green chillies and buttermilk or churned yoghurt(thinned out) to the gravy.Continue stirring or else the curd might curdle. Even if it curdles, stay cool. Let all the liquids evaporate first,it will come together and then add some water in the end. Cook the gravy well for 10 mins covered or uncovered. When you see the fat has leavened the sides , stop cooking further.
Add the cream to it in the end and simmer for less than a minute. I however, skipped this step, since I felt my gravy has turned pale. So instead I add some more kashmiri lal mirch to enrich the color of my gravy..:)
You may add water according to your preference. I like it thick so I didn’t add water again. But if you do so, then bring it to a boil and then turn it off.
Your savoury Dum Aloo is ready to serve. Garnish it with Shah jeera and dhaniya.
Enjoy!! Please share your experiences here! We love to hear from you!! 🙂