Kashmiri Dum Aloo for ICC December

Hello friends,

Here is another month and another ICC (Indian Cooking Challenge). But, what I loved about this month is that I tried a new cooking technique called "Dum". It is basically sealing your cooking utensil tight and cooking the food on low flame such that it gets cooked under pressure in its own steam and juices. Loved the process.

This recipe comes from here. It is a very elaborate recipe and very easy to follow. Initially when I had heard the name, I thought wow, it must be complicated with lots of ingredients etc. etc., but believe it was that easy and with so many less ingredients as well. Do try and love the end product. Here is how I did it.

Kashmiri Dum Aloo - कश्मीरी दम आलू (Baby Potatoes Cooked in Yogurt Gravy Under Pressure)

Ingredients

Baby Potatoes - 2 pounds
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp, roasted gently and ground into a powder
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Kashmiri red chillies - 3-4, roasted and powdered
Fresh Yoghurt - 2 1/2 cups (must not be sour)
Ginger Powder - 1 tsp
Fennel/Aniseed Powder - 1 tbsp
Green Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Oil - 2 tbsps
Cloves - 6, roasted and powdered
Asafoetida - A pinch
Oil - to deep fry potatoes
Salt - to taste
Water - 1/2 cup
A cup of firm dough made from flour and water

Preparation

Wash and deskin your baby potatoes (I do not like skin on the potatoes, but traditionally, I guess they are cooked with skin on, so take your pick).
Poke them with fork multiple times and keep in salted water (submerged) for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix fennel powder, green cardamom powder, kashmiri chili powder, salt soaked baby potatoes in yogurt and keep it aside.
Now, take a pan on heat and add mustard oil in it.
Add, clove powder and asafoetida in it and mix well.
Add water and let it come to boil.
Now, add yogurt mixture and mix it well.
Now, put the lid of the pan and seal it tightly with wheat dough (as shown in picture).
Cook in on slow flame for about 20 min. or till potatoes are cooked.
Break the seal, add cumin powder and garam masala and mix well and close the lid back.
Turn the heat off and let it sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.