Bhaja Masala Aloo Dum - By Chef Sushanta Barui

Aloo Dum is the Bengali avatar of the popular Indian dish of spicy curried potatoes. In Bengal, during the winter months using the newly harvested baby potatoes or ‘Notun Aloo’, Aloo Dum is best enjoyed with Koraishutir Luchi.

Servings: 4 pieces

Ingredients:

- New Baby Potatoes - 500 gm

- Mustard Oil - 30 ml

- Oil - For Frying

- Dried Red Chillies - 2 nos.

- Bay Leaves - 2 nos.

- Cloves - 3 nos.

- Cardamom - 2 nos.

- Cinnamon - 1 no.

- Cumin Seeds - ½ tsp

- Hing (Asafoetida) - ¼ tsp

- Turmeric Powder - ½ tsp

- Cumin Powder - ½ tsp

- Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder - ½ tbsp

- Ginger Paste - 15 gm

- Green Chilli Paste - 6 gm

- Yoghurt - 50 gm

- Tomato Paste - 20 gm

- Ground Cashewnuts - 20 gms

- Salt - To Taste

- Sugar - To Taste

- Bhaja Masala Powder - 1 tsp

- Ghee - 5 gm

Instructions:

1. Boil the baby potatoes in a saucepan or boiling pot along with salt and a pinch of turmeric powder until tender.

2. Once the potatoes are tender, drain the water and peel them immediately.

3. Before you begin, make a paste of cumin powder, salt, ginger paste, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and 100 ml water.

4. Heat mustard oil in a pan. Temper it with dried red chillies, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin seeds, and hing. Allow the hing to fry for about 10 seconds, then add the paste made earlier. Fry for 20 seconds.

5. Next, stir in the spice paste. Cook until the smell of raw spices is gone and they have started to release oil. This should take about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the yoghurt until it is lump-free. Add it to the pan, stirring vigorously to prevent it from splitting. Cook off the raw yoghurt for a couple of minutes before stirring in the tomato paste.

6. Now add the fried potatoes and fold them in. Sauté them with the spices for about 4 minutes.

7. Add salt and sugar as per your taste to the pan, along with 400 ml of hot water. This will form the gravy. Cover and allow the potatoes to simmer in the curry for about 20 minutes until the gravy has reduced and the potatoes are juicy and tender. Stir regularly.

8. Once the gravy has reduced, add the ground cashewnuts. Cook for a minute before garnishing with ghee and bhaja masala powder. Turn off the heat, cover, and allow Aloo Dum to rest for 2 minutes before serving.