06 December 2013

Dum Aloo| An exotic Potato gravy | Tribute to Tarla Dalal & Nelson Mandela


dum_aloo

"Once a person is determined to help themselves,there is nothing that can stop them." ~ Nelson Mandela.

  "The father of the nation (Africa) "and I would call him "The Gandhi ji of Africa", Mr.Nelson Mandela passed away yesterday living and fighting for justice for his countrymen and his nation,South Africa. One of the most remarkable people, I admire a lot . After spending 27 years in prison, he came back much stronger and determined to fight against all the injustices done to his people and the total upliftment of his country . A self-less courageous will, never give up attitude yet a humble heart !!! ~ My humble tribute to you sir !!
dum_aloo

 Just as he said,"A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination"!!!

 "I dream of Africa which is in peace with itself ."
"Let there be work,bread,water and salt for all."
"If there are dreams about a beautiful Africa,there are also roads that lead to their goal.Two of these roads could be named Goodness and forgiveness."
 ~ Late.Nelson Mandela

 Just like him I wish the same for the country Africa and all the nations of this planet....In God we trust...Amen to that !!!! RIP Sir!!!You are an unforgettable inspiring legend !!!

dum_aloo

 I would also like to pay my humble tributes to Mrs. Tarla Dalal,it's late but better late than never as I wanted to cook one of her recipes to do so. I've in the past referred to a couple of her recipes which I hardly remember but I will always remember her specifically , love her - her bubbly personality, her exceptional talent in the food arena, her valuable contribution as a quite well known Indian food writer, chef, host of cooking shows and one of the best seller cookbook writers of the world and most importantly, inspiring others especially the newbies to cook simply, deliciously and fearlessly.

dum_aloo


Isn't she one of the most cutest chef in the world ?? For me she is :)).. Yesterday only I came across one of her videos and felt quite overwhelmed ...this petite lady with a cute, enthusiastic and passionate persona imparting those cooking lessons and helping others .... is no more !!! 

 Well,That's human life  !!! You never know,kal ho na ho :)....but if you make a difference in someone's life wholeheartedly..that will be acknowledged by people who are grateful and will stay forever for sure..which she did ..not just someone but a lot of us....RIP Tarla aunty !!!<3

 So, today I've one of the exotic recipes of Tarla aunty , the famous North Indian vegetable delicacy ,"Dum Aloo recipe", a rich, creamy yet spicy baby potato gravy prepared in dum style, steamed in an oven under a gentle heat in a pot or baking dish wherein the lid is sealed by applying dough or using a silver/Aluminium foil to make it airtight so that it gets cooked well with full flavor. She had a lot of versions of the same. I referred all and tried all and finally came with a version inspired by her recipes with my tweaks and felt much better than the restaurant one I ever had. Since it's quite chilly in here, this curry complements it the best.

Dum Aloo

Ingredients

Baby potatoes, boiled & peeled - 10-15 Nos.
Onion,large,sliced - 1 no.
Green chili , chopped - 1 no.
Ginger-garlic paste -1 tablespoon
Tomato ,large,chopped  - 1 no.
Cloves - 3 nos.
Cardamoms - 3 nos.
Cinnamon - 1"
Fennel seeds- 1-2 teaspoons
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Dry Kashmiri chilies, broken - 5
Cashew nut & raisin paste - 2 tablespoon
Fresh cream - 2 tablespoons
Honey - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam Masala - 1/4 teaspoon
Chilli powder & coriander powder - 1/4 teaspoon each
Salt to taste
Water as needed
Coriander leaves ,chopped - 2 tablespoons
Ghee/Oil/Butter - 2 tablespoon


Method:

  • Prick the baby potatoes with a fork so that it'll infuse all flavors in properly.
  • Take a baking dish , put the baby potatoes in it and coat them with little ghee,turmeric powder,chilli powder and salt and bake it for 10 minutes .
  • Meanwhile, heat ghee/oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds,fennel seeds,cinnamon,cardamom,cloves and dry broken red chili and saute for a minute until they become aromatic.
  • Sprinkle a little salt, add onions and green chilies. Saute until the onions are transparent.
  • Add the ginger-garlic paste ,saute it until the raw smell disappears on low flame.
  • Add the tomatoes ,saute and cover it until they become soft and mushy.
  • Sprinkle the garam masala powder, turmeric powder,chilli and coriander powder .Saute everything until the oil surfaces on the above paste .
  • Now add the baked baby potatoes into it. Give it a stir .
  • Add the cashewnut-raisin paste and honey to it.Give a good stir.
  • Add enough water and allow it to boil.
  • Once boiled ,simmer it for a while until the gravy thickens .
  • Add the cream in it.Let it simmer for a minute or two.
  • Now take a baking dish/container put the above gravy into it ,apply wheat/all purpose flour dough or an aluminium foil to seal the lid airtight and bake it for 5-10 minutes.(Especially just before serving)  (OPTIONAL ..skip to next step after above simmering)
  • Dum Aloo is ready to be served .Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve with naan/parathas/rotis/puris or plain rice.
Note:
  1.  After pricking potatoes, you can also deep fry them in ghee .I chose a healthier option to bake better.
  2. Soak the cashew nuts and raisins in warm water and once they become tender , grind them in a mixer into a paste using a tablespoon of water or more. 
  3. After adding cream and simmering it for a minute or two,it'll be ready to be served .It's not must to seal and bake it in oven but then that's how "DUM" cooking is done traditionally.









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