This is in fact a recipe I posted on allrecipes.com long long back. So, from my blog there - over to my 11 years younger self!
This is the recipe I used yesterday - 11/11/12 - for our pre-Diwali lunch with parents. Aoyon was back from US only in the morning, so it was a homecoming lunch as well. Major achievement of the day was that All 5 of us ate at home together for the first time - in fact Agni sat on her chair throughout the meal. And to make me proud, she only had these aloo all the time, and rejected everything else that was on offer.
This is my version of Bengali Aloor-Dom - I am feeling entitled to adding Bengali here, since my Ma-in-law approved and said it tastes most authentic. Usually she is a stickler for any variation I do in the venerable Bong dishes, so I guess it must really be OK. There is no copyright-acknowledgment needed since I made the recipe from scratch, just depending on my memories of having Pishi-Ma's Aloor Dum when I was just married. The best I have ever had. Before making this, I did search online for a good recipe, but all the ones I found did not satisfy my expectations of an authentic Bong Aloo-Dum. You are not supposed to steam/parboil the potatoes, you are not supposed to make a tomatoey-gravy. Once made, the potatoes should be smooth, but not too soft, and the masala flavorsome and dark.
(This recipe was used to serve 5 people, but there were other dishes to complement this. If used stand-alone, this recipe will serve at-most 3 people)
30 mini-potatoes - Washed, peeled, and deep fried for 4-5 minutes at low-medium flame until they are golden pink
1 onion - Finely chopped in a mixer
Heat a little bit of oil in a wok (there is enough oil on potatoes already! )
Add the onion and cook them for a couple of minutes.
Now add the following spices:
2 tsp Cumin /Jeera
1 tsp Turmeric
2 cardamom's (big)
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
5-6 laung
a pinch of asoefitida
2 tsp Coriander
.5 tsp Garam masala (added it anyway, even though most spices are anyways here)
2 tsp salt (approx)
If in a hurry, only adding garam masala (2-3 tsp), turmeric and salt will do.
1 Tomato - Mashed to puree in a mixer
Add to the wok and cook further.
Add 1 cup water, boil and cook for a little while so that the spices blend well with the boiling water.
Add all potatoes, and make sure they are coated well with the gravy. It should still be watery at this point, otherwise some more water needs to be added.
Now, cover the wok, and leave the potatoes simmering at low heat - for 10-12 minutes.
Switch off the heat, mix the potatoes a little, and leave them to rest. Most of the water should have evaporated by now.
After 10-15 minutes, the potatoes are good to go. Ideally, they will soak up all the water and some spices by now, and will be coated with a darkish yummy masala.
Serve and enjoy :-)
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