Banarasi Dum Aloo
Banarasi dum aloo is a no onion no garlic recipe from the Uttar Pradesh cuisine of baby potatoes in a tomato-based curry.
Servings: 4 to 5
Ingredients
main ingredients
- 450 to 500 grams baby potatoes - 28 to 32 baby potatoes
- 100 grams tomato or 1 medium to large tomato - minced, grated or finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger - minced or finely chopped
- 2 to 3 green chilies - slit
- ½ cup Curd (yogurt)
- 2 tablespoon cream
- 2 to 2.5 cups water
- 1 large tej patta or 2 to 3 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- 2.5 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch
- 3 tablespoon Ghee
- salt as required
- few chopped coriander leaves for garnish
spices to be powdered
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1.5 teaspoon saunf (fennel seeds)
- 4 cloves
- 3 to 4 green cardamoms
- ½ teaspoon methi dana (fenugreek seeds)
Instructions
powdering the spices
- Roast the whole spices mentioned under the list "spiced to be powdered" in a small pan till fragrant.
- When cooled, powder them coarsely in a mortar and pestle.
making banarasi dum aloo
- Rinse the baby potatoes very well in water.
- If you plan to keep the peels, then scrub the mud with a brush and rinse the potatoes very well.
- Boil or steam the potatoes, till they are almost cooked. Peel and then prick with a fork on all sides.
- Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a frying pan. Saute the baby potatoes till lightly browned. Remove and keep aside. You can also saute the baby potatoes in batches. Add more ghee if required.
- In the same pan, add 1 tbsp ghee. Add the bay leaves and saute for a few seconds till fragrant.
- Then add the ginger and saute till the raw aroma goes away.
- Add the tomatoes and the spice powder that we made. Stir and saute till the fat starts to release from the tomato mixture.
- Whisk yogurt in a small bowl till smooth. Add the yogurt to the pan and stir briskly. Saute till the fat releases from the mixture.
- If the yogurt curdles, then just continue to saute till all the liquids are evaporated and the whole mixture comes together and you see the fat clearly from the sides.
- Add the coriander powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder and saute for a minute.
- Add the potatoes and green chilies and saute for 2 to 3 mins till the masala has coated the potatoes well.
- Add water and salt. Stir and let the curry come to a boil.
- Lower the flame and simmer till all the flavors of the curry has well blended for about 8 to 10 mins. If you want a slightly thick curry, then simmer for some more minutes. For a thin curry, you can add some more water.
- Lastly add cream and stir again. Switch off the flame and serve banarasi dum aloo hot garnished with coriander leaves.