Dum Aloo
An authentic vegetarian recipe from Jammu And Kashmir, India
Cook Time
40 mins
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
MediumCategory
VegetarianIngredients
For 4 servings
600g Baby potatoes
200g Curd (yogurt)
60ml Mustard oil
8g Fennel powder (saunf)
5g Dry ginger powder (sonth)
8g Kashmiri red chilli powder
3g Turmeric powder
2g Asafoetida (hing)
4piece Cloves
2piece Black cardamom
2piece Bay leaves
1piece Cinnamon stick
5g Coriander powder
3g Garam masala
6g Salt
300ml Water
16 ingredients needed
💡 Pro Tip: Gather all ingredients before you start cooking for a smooth preparation process.
Cooking Instructions
Follow these step-by-step instructions to prepare this authentic dish
**Prepare the potatoes:** Boil baby potatoes until just cooked but still firm. Peel them. Prick each potato all over with a fork or toothpick — this helps them absorb the gravy.
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**Fry the potatoes:** Heat mustard oil in a heavy pan until smoking, then reduce heat. Fry the pricked potatoes in batches until golden brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
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**Bloom the whole spices:** In the same oil, add cloves, black cardamom, bay leaves, and cinnamon. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant.
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**Add asafoetida:** Add asafoetida and stir for 10 seconds. This is a key flavour in Kashmiri cooking.
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**Add Kashmiri chilli:** Add Kashmiri red chilli powder and stir quickly for 30 seconds. The oil will turn a deep red colour. This step gives the dish its characteristic vibrant colour.
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**Whisk and add curd:** Whisk curd until smooth. Reduce heat to low and add the curd slowly, stirring continuously to prevent curdling. Cook for 5 minutes.
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**Add spice powders:** Add fennel powder, dry ginger powder, coriander powder, and turmeric. Stir well and cook for 3 minutes. These spices are the hallmark of Kashmiri Dum Aloo — no fresh ginger or garlic is used.
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**Add potatoes:** Add the fried potatoes to the gravy. Stir gently to coat. Add water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat.
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**Dum cook:** Cover the pan tightly (seal with dough if available) and cook on very low heat for 15–20 minutes. This slow "dum" cooking allows the potatoes to absorb all the flavours.
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**Finish:** Add garam masala, stir gently, and cook for 2 more minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice or Kashmiri naan.
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Chef's Tips
Authentic Kashmiri Dum Aloo uses no onion, garlic, or fresh ginger — the flavour comes entirely from fennel, dry ginger, and Kashmiri chilli; this is what makes it distinct from other regional versions.
Kashmiri red chilli powder gives the dish its brilliant red colour without excessive heat; don't substitute with regular chilli powder.
Pricking the potatoes before frying is essential — it allows the gravy to penetrate the potato during dum cooking.
The dum (slow steam cooking) step is what gives this dish its name and depth; don't rush it by cooking on high heat.
About This Dish
Dum Aloo is a traditional vegetarian dish from Jammu And Kashmir, India. This authentic recipe provides exact measurements for cooking 4 servings.
- Authentic Kashmiri Dum Aloo uses no onion, garlic, or fresh ginger — the flavour comes entirely from fennel, dry ginger, and Kashmiri chilli; this is what makes it distinct from other regional versions. - Kashmiri red chilli powder gives the dish its brilliant red colour without excessive heat; don't substitute with regular chilli powder. - Pricking the potatoes before frying is essential — it allows the gravy to penetrate the potato during dum cooking. - The dum (slow steam cooking) step is what gives this dish its name and depth; don't rush it by cooking on high heat.
Category
Vegetarian
Cook Time
40 mins
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Medium