Shahi Dum Aloo
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Baby potatoes are cooked in a rich, nutty yogurt sauce full of complex flavors from chili powder to cinnamon.
Ingredients
- Baby potatoes (par boiled and peeled) : 1 kg
- Almond paste : 1 tbsp
- Cashew paste : 3 tbsp
- Onion (small) : 1
- Ginger paste : 2 tsp
- Yogurt : 1/2 cup (120 ml) whipped
- Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
- Garam masala powder : 1 tsp
- Red chilli powder / paste : 1/2 tsp
- Cumin powder : 1 tsp
- Salt and sugar to taste
- Oil : 2 tbsp
- Bay leaf : 2
- Cinnamon stick : 1
- Cardamom (green) : 2-3
- Cloves : 3-4
Instructions
- Peel the onion, boil it and then make a paste of it.
- In a deep bottom pan, heat the oil, add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf.
- Let the aroma floats and then lightly fry the par boiled potatos in the oil til lthey absorb golden brownish hue.
- Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and keep them aside.
- Now in the same pan, add the onion paste, fry it till it turn its color, add the ginger paste, fry it further tll the rawness disappear.
- Add the spices, fry them for a while, followed by cashew and almond paste.
- Add the potatoes and coat them well with the masala.
- Saut them on medum heat till the masala oozes oil.
- Switch off the heat and let it cool for 2 minutes.
- Add the whipped yogurt, adjust the salt, switch on the heat again and let it cook on lowest heat for couple of minutes.
- Add one cup warm water, close the lid and let it simmer till done.
- It will have a clingy gravy.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro, if you wish to and serve hot with poori or kachoris.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Side
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the baby potatoes par-boiled and then fried before going into the sauce?
Step 3 has you lightly fry the par-boiled potatoes in oil with the whole spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf) until they pick up a golden-brown color. This double-cooking gives the potatoes a slightly crisp exterior that holds up in the clingy gravy rather than falling apart during the final simmer.
Why must the heat be switched off before adding the yogurt?
Step 9 says to let the masala cool for 2 minutes before stirring in the 1/2 cup of whipped yogurt. Adding yogurt to a very hot pan causes it to curdle and split. Once the yogurt is incorporated, the heat is turned back to the lowest setting for gentle cooking.
What does “dum” mean and how does it affect the cooking method?
Dum refers to a slow steam-cooking technique where the potatoes finish cooking in a covered pan on the lowest possible heat (step 10: add 1 cup warm water, close the lid, simmer until done). The sealed environment traps steam and concentrates the flavors of the cashew-almond-yogurt gravy — that’s what gives the dish its rich, clingy sauce. 
