Recipe - Dum Aloo (Whole Potatoes In Spicy Yogurt Gravy)

12 Evensized small boiling
potatoes
7 teaspoon Light vegetable oil
1 One half cup Finely chopped onions
1 teaspoon Finely chopped ginger root
2 teaspoon Ground cumin
4 teaspoon Ground coriander
1 teaspoon Turmeric
Three fourths teaspoon Red pepper
1 teaspoon Mughal garam masala
2 cup Chopped or pureed fresh
tomatoes, or 1 cup canned
toma
2/3 cup Plain yoghurt
4 teaspoon Kosher salt
2/3 cup Heavy cream (optional)

Peel potatoes and prick them in 4 or 5 places. Put them in a bowl of cold
water until you are ready to cook them.

Heat 5 tbsp. of the vegetable oil in a large nonstick pan that can hold
all the potatoes in one layer (such as a 5quart casserole; cast iron dutch
oven is great) over mediumhigh heat. When the oil is very hot, drain the
potatoes, pat them dry on paper towels, and add to pan with oil. Fry them
until they acquire several tiny browned spots and a crust (about 810
minutes), turning and tossing them to ensure even browning. (This is an
essential step, as the browning prevents the potatoes' falling apart during
prolonged cooking.) With a slotted spoon, transfer them to a bowl.

Add the rest of the oil to the pan along with the onions. Fry until the
onions turn caramel brown (the onions will become kind of sticky and the
oil will separate from them about 15 minutes), stirring constantly so
that they do not burn. Add ginger, and fry for an additional 30 seconds.
Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, red pepper, and Mughal garam masala all at
once, and stir rapidly for 15 seconds. Add tomatoes, yoghurt, salt, and the
fried potatoes (in one layer), and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer
very gently, covered (we also crimp some aluminum foil around the lid edges
to ensure a good seal), for 35 minutes or until the potatoes are fully
cooked. Check during cooking to make sure the gravy is not sticking and
burning. The gravy should be thick enough to coat the potatoes. If it looks
thin and runny, increase heat and boil rapidly, uncovered, until it reduces
to the desired consistency. If, on the other hand, the gravy is too thick,
add a few tablespoons of water.

Add cream, stir, and simmer until heated through. If you want the dish to
taste milder and subtler, stir in a little more oil (about 2 T). Check for
salt, and serve.

Note: This dish improves with keeping. For best results make it at least a
few hours before you are going to serve it. It can be refrigerated for up
to 4 days without loss of flavor.

Recipe by: riacmt@ubvmsa.cc.buffalo.edu (Carol MillerTutzauer) Posted to
MCRecipe Digest V1 #754 by The Meades kmeade@idsonline.com on Aug 21,
1997