Kashmir Dum Aloo

Ingredients:-

for cooking potatoes :

• Potatoes -500 gm or 20 to 22 baby potatoes
• Water
• Salt - ¼ teaspoon 

Other Ingredients :

• Kashmir red chili powder - 3 tbsp
• Ginger and Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Onion Paste - 1/2 cup
• Tomato puree - 1 cup
•  Fennel powder - 1 tbsp
• Cumin Powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander Powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Shahi Jeera - 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon - 1 inch
• Cloves - 3 nobs
• Cardamom - 1 black
• Bay leaf - 1-2 nobs
• Black peppers -4-5 nobs
• Dry red chili - 2 nobs
• Dry kasuri Methi - 1 tbsp
• Cardamom - 2-3 nobs 
• Fresh full fat curd, beaten or whisked till smooth (yogurt) - 1/2 cup
• Water
• Mustard Oil - as per requirement
• Salt as per taste

Method :-

• Rinse the baby potatoes well,add some water,pinch of salt and Add the potatoes.On a medium to high flame boil the water, so that the potatoes are half cooked.
• Drain them and allow to become warm or cool down at room temperature.
• Peel the potatoes,With a fork, tooth pick or skewer, poke holes in the potatoes all over. Halve them or you can keep them whole if they are small. This is done so that when cooking on dum, the potatoes absorb the flavors of the masala in which they are getting cooked.
• Whisk the fresh full fat curd or yogurt till smooth. Keep aside.
• In a small bowl, take Kashmir red chili powder and water,Mix and stir well to get a smooth mixture.
• In a pan heat mustard oil till it begins to smoke,Add the parboiled peeled potatoes and begin to fry them on a low to medium flame,till both side is light golden.
• Remove the potatoes which are golden and crisp with a slotted spoon. Fry them well or else they remain uncooked from the center.
• Place them on kitchen paper towels. Fry all the potatoes till golden and crisp.
• Lower the flame. Remove the extra oil and keep 2-3 tbsp oil in the same pan. Let the oil temperature come down. In the same oil, add asafoetida powder. Stir well.
• Add the dry red chili,sahi Jeera,bay leaf,cinnamon,cardamom,black pepper and saute it with low flame.
• Now add the onion paste and saute it till the raw smell go out,then add ginger garlic paste and mix it properly till it leaves oil.
• Then add the red chili + water solution,cumin powder,Coriander Powder,Turmeric Powder and stir well.add the tomato puree,salt and cook it with medium flame till it leaves oil.
• Now add the beaten curd. When you are adding the curd, with a spoon or wired whisk, stir continuously, so that the curd does not split. Add the curd on a low flame.
• After adding curd, add water and continue to Stir and mix very well.
• Then add fennel powder,Dried Kasuri methi and mix everything properly.
• Now add the fried potatoes,again stir.
• Cover the pan tightly with a lid. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes on a low to medium flame. Here we are cooking the potato gravy on dum.
• The gravy should become thick.
• You can always add less or more water depending on how thick or thin you want the gravy. If you cook more, then the gravy will reduce more. So depending on what you prefer, you can cook for less or more time.
• your Kashmir Dum Aloo is ready to eat,Serve kashmiri dum aloo hot with naan, rotis or rice.

Aloo Gobi/Dhaba Style Aloo Gobi Masala

Ingredients:-

• Cauliflower - 500gms
• Potatoes - 4, medium size
• Tomato - 1, large
• Onion - 1 large, chopped and 1 for sliced
• Capsicum - 1 nob(cut into cubes)
• Oil to deep fry cauliflower & potatoes
• Cumin seeds - 1 Tsp
• Green chilies - 2, slit
• Ginger and Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 2 Tsp
• Turmeric - 1/2 Tsp
• Red chili powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 Tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tbsp
• Yogurt - 2 Tbsp
• Garam masala - 1/4 Tsp
• Coriander leaves - 2 Tbsp, chopped

Instructions:-

• Cut the cauliflower into florets and wash them thoroughly with lukewarm water to remove any dirt. Peel the potatoes, wash them and cut into big cubes. Pat them dry completely on a paper towel.
• Cut the capsicum into cube size and slice some onions into big pieces and keep it aside.
• Deep fry the cauliflower and potatoes until half done. Take them out on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
• Then fry the capsicum and sliced onion for 2-3 minutes on medium flame ,then remove it into a plate and keep it aside.
• Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan ( take the same oil in which the cauliflower and potatoes are fried ). Add cumin seeds, let it crackle, add chopped onions and saute it for few minutes till it start changing the color.
• Then add ginger and garlic paste,Saute for a minute. Add in tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are soft.
• Lower the flame now. Add in turmeric, coriander powder,cumin powder, red chili powder and salt. Mix it well and cover the lid and let it cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Open the lid, add beaten yogurt and stir it continuously with low flame.
• Finely add the fried cauliflower and potatoes,capsicum and sliced onions and Toss it gently with the masala.
• Sprinkle garam masala Cover the lid and let it cook in a slow flame for 4-5 minutes
• Finally add some chopped fresh coriander leaves and serve.
• Dhaba style Aloo Gobhi masala is ready to serve with hot chapati, parantha or rice and dal.

Aloo Potala kasha/ Potato Pointed Gourd Curry

Aloo Parwal/Alu Potala

Aloo Potal Kasha is a spicy Curry prepared with Potala(Pointed Gourd) and Aloo (Potato). It is one of the Popular Curries from Odisha.

Ingredients :-

• Parwal/Potala - 500 gm
• Potato - 2 medium sized
• Onion - 2 medium sized (finely chopped)
• Ginger and garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Tomato puree - 1/2 cup
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
• Red chili Powder - 2 tbsp
• Garam Masala - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Salt as per taste
• oil
• Cinnamon stick - 1 small sized
• Cardamom - 2 nobs
• Bay leaf - 1 nob
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp
• kasoori Methi - 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander leaves 1 tbsp for garnish

lets Start Preparation :-

• Peel off the potato skin cut it into cubes and soak it into water,then wash and peel the potala/parwal slowly & cut it into two halves and keep it aside.

Start cooking :-

• Hit pan adding with 2 tbsp of oil ,once its hot keep the flame slow and add potato and Parwal/Potala pieces into it and fry it nicely till the vegetables get tender and golden brown in color from all the sides.
• Once vegetable fried nicely remove it to a plate and keep it aside.
• In the same pan add little more oil for gravy,once its hot then add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom,cinnamon  and saute it,once it splutter then add the chopped onions and saute it nicely(3-4 mints) till it became transparent.
• now add the Ginger and garlic paste into it and again saute it nicely till the raw smell go out.
• Then keep the flame with slow and add chili powder,turmeric powder,cumin powder,coriander powder and saute it for 2 minutes.
• Now add the tomato puree into it and salt as per taste,then mix all the masala nicely and let it cook for 5-7 mints with medium flame.
• Once the masala start leaving oil then add fried Potato and Potal/Parwal into it ,mix it nicely with masala .
• Now add 1 cup of water(you can add water as per your gravy requirement) mix the gravy,cover the lid  and let it cook for 5-7 mints with medium flame.
• After 5 minutes remove the lid add kasturi methi and give it a goo mix and again cover the lid and cook it for 5 mint till the potato and parwal/potala cook well with the gravy.
• Once the vegetables well cooked and the gravy consistency is proper then add the Garam masala into the gravy ,give it a good mix then switch of the flame.

• Now our Alu Potala/Parwal Kasa, Alu Potal is ready to eat,serve hot garnish with chopped coriander leaves as a side dish.
• This gravy we go well with White Rice/Roti or Paratha and enjoy.