Niramish Kosha Alur Dom / Pure Vegetarian Bengali Dum Aloo

Alur Dom has a long lingering affair with the Bengali families. It is the most frequent as the breakfast accompaniment and it is also widely loved during the winter season. The potatoes are generally harvested during the winter season and the markets in Bengal get flooded with what we call “natun alu” / new potatoes. The baby potatoes are also a very winter thing. Mainly because the baby potatoes don’t go to the cold storage with their bigger siblings and hence they become completely exhausted during the winter.  And all these new potatoes with their soft texture and barely there skin and a unique smell maked Aloor Dom a sweetheart of our platter.

Dum Aloo is also a main food item to have during any small picnic. Mainly because it’s very easy to make and can be eaten with just luchi. So you don’t have to make too many dishes and the lunch box remain compact and light.  Luchi and alur dom being  a match made in heaven gives you a pure hassle free lunch. And I think picnics are meant to be like that. Hmm???

Temper the oil with cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, bay leaf and dry red chillies.

Add tomatoes and ginger to them and cook till they start to release oil,

Add the powdered spices and salt.

Add whisked yogurt to the tomato gravy.

Add water, green peas (raw) and potatoes and cook till done. Frozen peas should be added when the dish is almost done.

So today I am sharing my mother’s recipe of Niramish Kosha Alur Dom. It has yogurt in it and despite being pure vegetarian, i.e. without onion and garlic you will not miss a thing. In our home we all prefer Dum Aloo this way rather than onion and garlic.

Niramish Kosha Alur Dom / Pure Vegetarian Bengali Dum Aloo

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

500gm baby potatoes /5 medium potatoes

½ cup green peas

1 and ½ tomatoes – chopped

½ cup thick yogurt – whisked

½ inch stick of ginger – chopped

1 tsp turmeric powder

2-3 tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp cumin powder

½ tsp coriander powder

1 tbsp bhaja mosla (dry roast some cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns and dry red chillies. Then ground them to a fine powder.)

1 tsp cumin seeds

6-7 fenugreek seeds

1 bay leaf

2 dry red chillies

 A handful of fresh coriander leaves – chopped

1 tbsp mustard oil

Salt

Method:

Peel the potatoes. If you are using baby potatoes then keep them whole and if using medium sized potatoes, halve them. Boil the potatoes with some salt till they are half done. Strain the water and keep them aside.

In a karai heat the mustard oil and add in the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, bay leaf and dry red chillies.

Saute for half a minute or until the oil becomes aromatic and then add the chopped tomatoes into them. Sprinkle some salt and cook till the tomatoes become all mushy and they start to release oil.

Now add the chopped ginger to them and also add in turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder,coriander powder and half of the bhaja mosla. Mix in and cook for 1 minute to ward off the raw smell of the spices.

Now add ½ cup of water and simmer on medium flame to get a nice and creamy gravy.

Once the gravy is done, put off the flame and add in the whisked yogurt.

Mix to incorporate everything and add in 1 and ½ cups of water. Mix and add in the par boiled potatoes to them.

After 5 minutes add the frozen green peas. If you are using raw green peas add them with the potatoes.

Put cover and let them cook until all the potatoes are cooked from inside and the gravy reaches your desired consistency.

Once the potatoes are soft from inside and the gravy is good, put off the flame. Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves and the rest of the bhaja mosla over them and serve hot with luchi / paratha / ruti.