DUM-ALOO ( Fried Baby potatoes in spicy gravy)

INTRODUCTION

INGREDIENTS

Dum aloo is prepared in Northern India from Kashmir to Bengal . Each state has its own version and different ingredients and cooking methods are used. Among potato curries, Dum Aloo can rightly be termed as the Man among mice or the Emperor among Kings. The taste and the sheer visual appeal of this dish is great. I like this curry very much because it tastes different with Roti and Parathas and different with rice. The recipe I am giving, is as usual, different from all the recipes you would have tried so far and got tired using the same. So let us start being different. !!!
I want to throw a challenge, I say that this curry will sweep you off your feet and you would love it for ever. And this is going to be another HOTTEST IN DEMAND recipe . You would agree after you prepare it. 

(for a family of four , two helpings)
Baby Potatoes 300 gms
Capsicum (medium) 1 no. 
Green Chilli (med. Hot) 1 no
Onion paste (from) 2 onions
Ginger Garlic Paste 2 tbsp
Tomatoes 2 nos
Jeera Powder 1/2 spoon
Dhania Powder 1. 5 spoons
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chilli powder 1 spoon
Garam Masala 1. 5 spoons
Fresh curds 1/2 cup
Tamarind paste 1/4 to 1/2 spoon
Sugar 1/2 spoon
Oil/Ghee for frying 200 ml
Oil/Ghee for tampering 2 to 3 ladles. 
Salt to taste

Note :For best results, please grind and powder Dhania and Jeera just before use. 


TAMPERING INGREDIENTS
Jeera (cumin) 1/2 spoon
Cinnamon 1 " sticks 3 to 4 nos. 
Cloves 5 to 6 nos
Cardamom 2 to 3 nos

METHOD OF PREPARATION

Select small baby potatoes of no more than an inch in diameter. Wash and pressure cook in a pressure pan till 3/4 cooked . Remove the pan from fire and peel the potatoes after they are slightly cold. If you let them cool fully, you will not be able to remove the skin easily. 
Take a bout half a spoon of salt and a little turmeric and smear the potatoes with them properly and set aside to dry any excess moisture from surface. 
Prepare pastes of Garlic and Ginger, onions, also make paste of Green chilli and capsicum and Tomatoes and set aside. 
Prepare all the dry spices and arrange in a dish. Also keep all the tampering spices handy along with them. 
Take oil/Ghee in a kadai and fry the baby potatoes on a medium flame till each potato is golden brown. Due to smearing of salt, the top layer may be a bit flaky and crisp. Set aside. 
Remove excess oil from kadai and retain about 60 ml and add all the tampering spices. Heat on a low flame till cloves start puffing up. Now add onion paste and salt . Fry till golden brown , add ginger garlic pate and fry for exactly one minute. Now add Capsicum-chilli paste and fry till oil starts leaving the mass. Add tomato paste and continue frying and stirring. Do not let the gravy stick to sides or bottom at any stage. Now add all the dry spice powders and fry the gravy with powders for about a minute and half. Add curd at this stage and mix thoroughly. Now add the fried baby potatoes in the gravy and first marinate all the potatoes in kadai for about two minutes. Now add water (two cups) and tamarind paste and sugar, and set the flame on sim and let the curry simmer for five to six minutes. 
By now there will be a line of hungry souls waiting to taste the curry. But send them back to watch the TV. 
Remove the Dum Aloo from fire and allow to mature for about 45 minutes. Keep an eye on it in the meanwhile otherwise you may find TASTING would have reduced the quantity by half. 
Do not garnish with anything except your love . Reheat and serve with parathas, Poories or chapathis or rice. 
Earn Kudos and prizes (if you are cunning enough from husband) and be happy. 
Do write how you did. 
ENJOY!!!

This dish is brought back to you from almost extinction. It has been many years since I heard of this recipe. By chance I was reminded of this curry. I am bringing it to you with some innovation. I hope that you would like it for its newness and taste.