Dum aloo is one of the most loved vegetarian dishes of Kashmir, served at Pandit weddings and festivals and eaten through the cold winters. Kashmiri cooking traditionally uses no tomatoes and, in Pandit kitchens, no onion or garlic, so the colour comes from Kashmiri chillies and the depth from yogurt, fennel and dry ginger.
Small potatoes are boiled, pricked all over and deep fried until a crust forms, then cooked slowly in a red, yogurt-based gravy until they soak it up. The potatoes look fiery but taste aromatic rather than very hot, with a warm, slightly sweet fennel flavour and a sheen of red oil on the surface.
It is eaten with plain rice or with roti, often alongside other Kashmiri dishes like haak (collard greens) and nadru yakhni. It is the vegetarian star of a Kashmiri feast. The potatoes can be boiled and fried a few hours ahead, leaving only the short simmer before serving. Choose small potatoes of even size so that they cook evenly and absorb the gravy at the same rate. A spoon of the red oil from the top makes a perfect drizzle over rice.
At a glance
| Region | Jammu and Kashmir |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Kashmiri |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Course | Main course |
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Cook time | 40 minutes |
| Total time | 60 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Medium |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | baby potatoes / yogurt / Kashmiri red chilli / fennel powder |
Ingredients
- 500 g baby potatoes, similar size
- Mustard oil for deep frying
- 1/4 tsp hing
- 2 green cardamom, 2 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick, 1 black cardamom
- 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 3/4 cup thick curd, whisked
- 1 1/2 tsp saunf powder
- 1 tsp sonth (dry ginger) powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
Method
- Boil the potatoes in salted water for 8 to 10 minutes until just tender. Peel while warm and prick each one all over with a fork or toothpick.
- Heat mustard oil in a kadai until it smokes, then lower to medium. Deep fry the potatoes for 6 to 8 minutes until golden and slightly crusty. Drain.
- Remove all but 3 tbsp oil from the kadai. On medium heat, add hing and the whole spices and let them sizzle for 20 seconds.
- Take the pan off the heat. Mix the chilli powder with 2 tbsp water and add it, then return to low heat and stir 30 seconds until the oil turns red.
- Add the curd gradually, stirring constantly on low heat, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until it thickens and loses its raw smell.
- Add fennel powder, dry ginger, turmeric, salt and water. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the fried potatoes, cover and cook on low (dum) for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes have absorbed the gravy and red oil floats on top.
- Sprinkle garam masala and serve hot.
Tips
- Pricking the potatoes lets the gravy seep in; do not skip it.
- Adding chilli powder off the heat keeps it from burning and keeps the colour bright.
- Some families add a pinch of ratan jot to the oil for an even deeper red.
Serve with
Plain steamed rice or phulkas.