Sunday, November 28, 2010

Dum aloo, Aloo dum (Kashmiri recipe)

It is a very subtle dish, and high on calories. But then, if you are the ones who eat to live, I am not sure how much you will enjoy this dish.
Dum aloo is best described as fried baby potatoes in spiced yoghurt sauce.

Veggies
Baby Potatoes - 500 gms, boiled and peeled
Ginger - 1 tbsp Grated/paste

Masala
Aniseed powder / Fennel powder - 1 tbsp
Hing - A pinch
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon stick - 1
Cloves - 4
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste

For the sauce
1 cup yoghurt diluted with 1 cup water

Other ingredients
Oil

Procedure:
  1. Cook the potatoes, peel them, and pierce them with a fork so that they can take in the masala.
  2. Deep fry them till they are golden brown.
  3. In a vessel, heat oil.
  4. On low flame, add bay leaf, cloves, Hing, and cinnamon and fry for 10-15 seconds
  5. Add ginger and fry for 30 seconds.
  6. Add the diluted yoghurt.
  7. Add aniseed powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and salt.
  8. Add the potatoes.
  9. Cook till the gravy is reduced to a minimum

Goes well with rotis. Can be eaten with rice too.

Stuffed Bhindi

Veggies
Bhindi (Okra) - 1/4 kilo
Onions - 1-2 medium sized chopped fine
Stuffing
Coriander powder - 3 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp or to taste
Saunf powder - 1 tbsp
Amchur powder - 1 tbsp
Besan (chickpea flour) - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste (1/2 tbsp)
Seasoning
1 tsp jeera
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp kalonji
1 pinch hing
Procedure
  1. Clean and dry the bhindis. Cut the top and bottom ends.
  2. Slit bhindisall the way down but not cutting them at the base. Remove the seeds.
  3. Stuff them with the masala.
  4. In a flat bottomed vessel, heat oil.
  5. Add mustard seeds. After they stop spluttering, add kalongi, jeera, and hing.
  6. Add onions and fry till golden brown.
  7. After 10 seconds, place the stuffed bhindis on the seasoning.
  8. Cover, and cook for ten minutes, or until done. Toss the bhindis once after five minutes.

Stuffed bhindis are best had with rotis.