Dum Aaloo

Ingredients:

2 lbs potatoes cut in half or use baby potatoes

2 tbsp oil

1" piece cinnamon

6 cloves

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp asofoetida

2 tsp minced ginger

1 cup yoghurt

1 cup cold water

1 tbsp paprika

1.5 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp fennel seed powder (or aniseed powder)

2 tsp coriander powder

salt to taste

Garnish: cilantro and julienne ginger

Protocol:

Boil and peel potatoes.

Coat potatoes with 1tbsp oil and place on a foil lined baking sheet.

Bake at 400 oF for 30 minutes. The potatoes should now feel crusty and have more color to them.

Use a small kitchen knives and make 5-6 deep stab holes in each potatoes, to allow the gravy to soak into the potato.

Whisk together yogurt and water, till they make a smooth, creamy mixture with no lumps.

In a saucepan or a wok, heat remaining oil till. When hot, place cinnamon, bay leaf and cloves. After 1 minute, add asofoetida powder to this. Then lower heat on the wok. Add 2 tsp ginger till it mildly sizzles.

Add the yogurt water mixture to this and stir continuously.

Now add paprika and chilli powder. Stir for another 2 minutes.

Add fennel powder and corriander powder continue stirring and add salt to taste.

Gently add in the potatoes, making sure that the potatoes retain their shape for the most part.

Cover the wok and continue to cook on low heat for 30-40 minutes. Remember to stir at regular intervals to prevent separation of oil and yogurt. When the yogurt mixture is more or less reduced to 1/8th to 1/6th of the original volume, remove potatoes from heat.

Garnish with cilantro and julienne ginger and serve hot with rotis or naan.

Disclaimer: Traditional dum aaloo is not baked it is deep fried before further cooking. I like this recipe, mostly because it doesn't require too much oil!!!