Dum aloo is a delicious potato curry from the North of India and Bangladesh, my version is vegetarian and features a delicious tomato gravy.
It is a recipe that packs massive flavours into my favourite vegetable, and it is, as far as I am concerned, the BEST potato curry you can make!
Tinned Potato Curry
The good old-fashioned spud is a much-maligned vegetable, and it is one that I love. My website is named after the colloquial Hungarian name for the potato.
They appear here a lot, and they certainly are no strangers to my Indian-influenced recipes.
This dum aloo recipe joins many other potato curry dishes.
I have everything from classics like saag aloo, aloo matar to aloo gosht and Indian minced beef and potato curry to a Bangladeshi aloo paneer.
This dish also has its heart in Punjab, North India and Bangladesh, and there are many variants.
My version of aloo dum features new potatoes fried in ghee and then finished in a wonderfully spiced tomato gravy that is thickened with cashew nuts.
I even use tinned potatoes to take all of the hassle out of boiling and peeling new potatoes. Don't worry, I have instructions for both fresh and prepared potatoes!
Rather than the usual enrichment of yoghurt, I use cream to give the dish a really luxurious mouth feel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really ok to use tinned potatoes?
Of course!
We often have prejudices when it comes to food, but tinned potatoes work a treat in this recipe; they taste great and have a wonderful texture.
Do I really have to peel the potatoes?
Have to is a strong old sentiment!
No, it is not necessary, but dum aloo is much better as far as I am concerned with peeled baby potatoes.
What is tomato passata?
I get asked this question a lot by my US-based visitors. Tomato passata is called tomato puree in the US.
Can I make this vegan?
Yes, if I were to make this for a vegan guest, I would replace the ghee with mustard oil and then replace the double cream with coconut cream.
Can I make aloo dum in advance?
Yes, but I would stop at stage 11 of my recipe and then pick up from that point when you are reheating the dish.
It will last in the fridge for 3-5 days if you do this.
Serving Suggestions
Dum aloo is a really saucy curry, and as a result, it begs for some flatbread. I strongly favour a Tandoori-style naan bread, but a chapati or two would work well too.
Rice is also a grand old staple side for a curry. I usually opt for plain boiled or steamed rice, although a good pilau rice works well too.
However, I have a deep love for poppadoms and would usually serve this with them.
I'd combine them with mint raita, kachumber salad and mango chutney, then finish off with this baby potato curry.
Equipment Used
I only recommend specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 20cm or 8" saucepan (if you are not using tinned potatoes).
- Colander (if you are cooking potatoes).
- Wok, I use a large carbon steel wok.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Mini blender.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Dum Aloo Potato Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 350 g New Potatoes 567g Tin of New Potatoes or 1½ Cups Small New Potatoes
- 1½ teaspoon Salt If you are using Tinned Potatoes, reduce this to ½ Teaspoon
- 1 Small Onion 100g
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida
- 2 Dried Red Chilli Peppers
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 3 Cardamom Pods
- 6 Curry Leaves
- 3 tablespoon Ghee
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric
- 500 g Tomato Passata 2 Cups
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Amchoor
- 50 ml Double Cream 3 tablespoon +1 teaspoon
- 3 tablespoon Unsalted Cashew Nuts
- 250 ml Water 1 Cup
- ¼ teaspoon Sugar
- 30 g Fresh Coriander 1 Cup
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Dried Fenugreek Leaves
Instructions
Instructions for Cooking Potatoes (Ignore if Using Tinned Potatoes):
- Place the potatoes in a medium (20cm or 8") saucepan and add 1 teaspoon of salt, then pour over enough water to cover the potatoes by 2-3 cm (1") and boil for 25-30 minutes. The potatoes should be just about cooked.
- Drain the potatoes and cool them until they can be handled, then peel them.
Instructions for Curry:
- Cut the onion in half, peel it and then chop it into a 5mm (¼") dice.
- Peel the garlic and then mash it with the side of a knife to form a puree.
- Blend the water with the cashew nuts in a mini blender and allow to soak, whilst you cook.
- Heat a wok over a medium heat, and when it is hot, add the ghee. Throw in the cinnamon stick, curry leaves, cardamom pods and dried chilli peppers, then stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Add the onions and cook for 5 or 6 minutes.
- Throw in the garlic and asafoetida, then cook for a further minute.
- Add the potatoes, salt and turmeric and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the coriander powder, chilli powder, cumin powder and amchoor and stir to combine.
- Pour in the tomato passata and stir to combine, then cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the cream, sugar and blended cashews and water, then stir and simmer for another 8-10 minutes.
- Chop the coriander and add it to the curry (reserving a little for garnish) along with the garam masala and dried fenugreek leaves. Stir to combine and then remove from the heat and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes before serving.
Faye
Saturday 17th of June 2023
Another keeper, this was so tasty and so much sauce, I’m thinking of frying up some paneer for the leftover sauce. One question, I thought Asafoetida was used to replace garlic and onions? I didn’t have any so missed it out.
Brian Jones
Friday 30th of June 2023
Asafoetida is often use in Jain cuisine which does not use garlic and onion, but it is relatively common in other vegetarian/vegan kitchens and it features a lot in my Indian inspired meat free dishes. I honestly love the stuff, I think that it adds that 1% that you can quite put your finger on but its just "right".
Glad you liked this, I've been cooking versions of this for years it probably started back in my student days but for some strange reason I only added it to my site in the last year.
Jeff
Thursday 19th of January 2023
Do you bin the cashews, and just use the water, or can you chuck them all in together?
Brian Jones
Friday 20th of January 2023
Sorry it all gets chucked in together, I've updated my recipe to make this clearer :)