Pricked aaloo Dum (pricked potato masala)

• Servings:5-6
• Preparation time: 20 minutes.
• Soaking time: 20-30 minutes.
• Frying  potatoes time: 10 minutes.
• Frying masala time: 10 minutes.
• Cooking time: 12 minutes.
• Total time: 42 minutes.

“Pricked aaloo Dum (pricked potato masala)” is a flavorful and aromatic Indian curry made with small potatoes that are gently pricked to absorb the rich masala. These potatoes are simmered slowly in a spicy, tangy, and slightly creamy gravy made from tomatoes and a blend of traditional spices.

The origin of Aloo Dum can be traced to the royal kitchens of Eastern India, particularly Bengal and Bihar, where it evolved as a special festive or Sunday dish. The idea of pricking the potatoes came from home cooks who wanted the spices to penetrate better during slow cooking.

Over time, regional variations emerged;  from the rich, yogurt-based Kashmiri Dum Aloo to the Mustard-flavored Bengali version. The “Pricked Aloo Dum” represents a homely adaptation of these traditional recipes, carrying both the royal touch and the soulful simplicity of Indian home cooking.

The pricking helps the masala seep deep into the potatoes, making every bite bursting with flavour. It’s a festive-style dish often enjoyed with Puri, Paratha, or Jeera Rice, bringing warmth and satisfaction to the meal.

Vitamin B6 found in the potato, plays an important role in our nervous system; it has incredible source of potassium, which is helpful to maintain skin elasticity.

Ingredients:

• Potato: 500 gm. (small)
• Onion: 2 no. (Medium)
• Tomato: 1 no. (Medium)
• Chilli powder: 2 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder: 1 teaspoon
• Garam masala powder: half teaspoon
• Ginger: 2: pieces
• Green chilli: 2-3 no.
• Cumin seed: half teaspoon
• Bay leaf: 1 no.
• Cinnamon: 1-2” pieces
• Mace: 1” piece
• clove: 3-4 no.
• Salt: 2 teaspoon
• Mustard oil/cooking oil: 3-4 tablespoon
• Water: 1 cup

Preparation:

1. Roughly Chop and Grind tomato, Keep aside.
2. Roughly chop onion, garlic, green chilli and ginger. Grind it, Keep aside.
3. Peel off potatoes; prick it all over with help of fork.
4. Keep this into salted water for at least 20-30 minutes.

Method:

1. Take fry pan heat oil, when it starts to smokes; stir fry the potatoes on medium flame for about 7-8 minutes or until it become golden brown in colour. Take it out, Keep aside.
2. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon and bay leaf into the remaining oil; waiting for sputtering, add onion, ginger and green chilli paste in it.
3. continue to fry (keep it stirring otherwise it may burn) till golden brown. (About 5 minutes); add tomato paste,  continue to fry for couple of minutes or till oil separates from the masala.
4. Take a bowl put chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt in it, add one tablespoon of water and mix it well to make paste.
5. Add this paste in the fried masala, fry for couple of minutes; add 2 cups of hot water and cover it.
6.  When it comes to boil; add fried potatoes, lower the flame cover it and cook about another 10 minutes.
7. Add Garam masala powder, one teaspoon Ghee and put off the flame.
8. Now, Pricked aaloo curry (pricked potato masala) is ready to serve.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

Pricked aaloo Dum (pricked potato masala) by Nag Ratna Sahu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.