Alur Dum- Dum Aloo Bengali style

There are potatoes and then there are potatoes. Life in the UK has helped me discover a million kinds.

In the land of pie and mash, it took me a while to figure out which potatoes were best suited to Indian cooking. The more expensive the potato I bought, the faster it turned to mush when subjected to the rigours of a curry. After experimenting with various kinds, I finally discovered that plain white potatoes are best suited to Indian cooking.

One day at the supermarket, I stumbled across a curious looking potato, almost as wobbly and as a ginger tuber. The name too, was cute. ‘ Anya potatoes’. So of course, I bought them to try them out.

In my house, Dum Aloo ( spicy potato gravy) always wins hands down, so thats what I made with these beauties.

Whether you get Anya potatoes or regular potatoes, this recipe should work for any. Do try it out and let me know!

Ingredients

• Small potatoes- 2 cups.
• Turmeric- 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
• Tomatoes ( grated)- 1 cup
• Onions- (finely chopped) 1/4 cup
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
• Green chillies- 1
• Coriander powder- 1 tsp
• Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
• Ginger paste- 2 tsp
• Garam masala- 1/4 tsp
• Coriander leaves- for garnish
• Oil- 2.5 tbsp
• Salt- to taste
• Sugar- 1/4 tsp

Method

1. Peel and wash the potatoes. If the potatoes are new, they are thin skinned. So there is no need to peel them. Of course, wash them really well.

2. These potatoes were really long so I just cut them in two. Poke holes into the potatoes with a fork to ensure that some gravy goes into it while cooking and flavours it well.

3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Throw in the potatoes . Now add some salt, some of the turmeric and chilli powder and stir fry the potatoes. Adding salt and spices at this stage not only colours the potatoes, but also makes them incredibly tasty.

4. Remove the fried potatoes on a paper napkin and drain the excess oil.

5. In the same pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds, and in 30 seconds, add in the onions. Fry for 1-2 minutes, until soft. Add in the remaining turmeric and chilli powder. Mix well.

6. Add the coriander and cumin powder. Mix well.

7. Add in the ginger paste. Mix well. Ginger is the real star of this dish, so even though the amount feels a bit more, don’t skimp on it. Also, if freshly grated, it really tastes best.

8. Add in the grated tomatoes. Mix till combined. Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes, till the oil separates and the tomato is cooked.

9. Add in the potatoes. Mix well. Cook on high heat for 2 minutes. Now add in 1 1/2 cup of hot boiling water, to make the gravy.

10. Cover and cook till the potatoes are done and there is a thickish gravy.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with either parathas or rice.

This recipe works well at most parties, is simple to make and always a hit!