Aloo Dum (Same As Dum Aloo)

Aloo Dum 
Ingredients:
  • Potatoes – 850gms
  • Potols (Dondakai or Pointed Gourd) – 5
  • Onions – 2
  • Oil – 1/4Cup
  • Salt To Taste
  • Coriander For Garnishing
Ingredients For Paste:
  • Poppy Seeds (gasagasalu) – 5tsps
  • Coriander Seeds – 2 1/2tsps
  • Cumin Seeds – 1 1/2tsps
  • Cardamom – 2
  • Cinnamon – 1/2"Piece
  • Cloves – 4
  • Ginger – 1” Piece
  • Garlic – 2
  • Onions – 2
  • Red Chillies – 9
  • Turmeric Powder – 1tsp
Grind the above ingredients by adding water to a fine paste. Paste should be very fine because the taste of the dish lies in grinding the paste.

Ingredients For Seasoning:
  • Cumin Seeds – 1/4tsp
  • Aniseeds – 1/4tsp
  • Mustard Seeds – 1/4tsp
  • Fenugreek Seeds – 2, 3 Seeds
  • Nigella Seeds – 1/4tsp
  • Bay Leaves – 4 or 5 
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  • Preparations:
    Wash and clean the potatoes. Take them into a bowl, add water and salt. Place this bowl in a pressure cooker and cook. Just before the pressure develops in the pressure cooker and it is about to whistle make the flame low and cook for 15 minutes. Then, make the flame high and before it whistles switch off the stove. 

    After pressure has escaped form the cooker, remove the potatoes from cooker. 
    I don't suggest putting the Cooker under the tap for cooling. I prefer keeping it aside till the lid comes out easily.  I suggest this because, putting the hot cooker under tap water makes the metal undergo a stress which may pose a safety hazard.Consider the time taken for the cooling of the cooker as a standing time and utilise it for other preparations in the kitchen.

    Keep the boiled potatoes aside for a while and when cold remove the skins. Cut them into big pieces and keep aside. Take some pieces of boiled potatoes and make a fine paste in a mixie. This helps for gravy thickening. Wash and clean Potols. Cut them into rounds. Shallow fry these Potols in oil. For this, take around 5tsps of oil and heat. When oil is hot add Potol pieces and little salt. Cook covered for 5 to 7 minutes. When you add salt, water will be ooz from the vegetable due to osmosis and it gets cooked. So the vegetables will not get burnt easily when we add salt and fry them in less oil. Here if you wish you can also deep fry these Potol pieces. Clean onions and cut into thin slices and keep them aside. Wash, clean and chop coriander leaves. 

    Method:
    Heat a pan and add oil to it. Take all the seasoning ingredients in a plate. When oil is hot add the seasonings and fry. Add the sliced onions and fry till golden brown in color. We have to fry the onions till they lose their rawness. Now add the masala paste and fry well. In the paste also we have added onion, so we need to fry the paste nicely to remove the rawness of onions. Then add the boiled potato pieces and mix. Then add the boiled potatoes paste and mix well. Many add corn flour, wheat flour to thicken the gravy. Here we are adding boiled potatoes paste to thicken the gravy. No one will come to know that you have added the boiled potato paste to thicken the gravy unless and until you disclose it. Add water sufficiently and mix. Then add Fried Potols Pieces and salt to taste. Cook covered on slow flame for 15 minutes. Your house will be filled with a nice aroma of Aloo Dum. Transfer this to a serving bowl and remove the bay leaves. it is heard that bay leaves are not good for health when kept for long period in the dish, so remove them when you finish cooking the dish.Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander. This dish can be served with Rotis, Parathas, Naans, Pulaos or even with plain rice. 

    Tips : If you allow the dish to have a standing time for 2 to 3 hours before serving the taste enhances because the salt and other ingredients seep into the potatoes. It is for sure to become lip licking

    If you use baby potatoes the looks of the dish enhances. Don't forget to prick the boiled potatoes with a fork before adding to the masala in the pan.

    You may moderate the gravy quantity as per your liking. Some like to have
    it almost dry which is Dum Aloo. Serve the dish along with tooth-picks so that the guest can prick each Aloo piece and lift it to eat. You may serve it in leaf-cup-container to add rustic look of Dhaba Dum Aloo 
     
  • Enjoy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!