Photo: Medhi jyoti · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Jammukashmir · Lunch

Dum Alve (Kashmiri Potatoes in Spiced Yogurt Gravy [DETAILED VERSION])

Traditional 10. Dum Alve recipe

🧺 Ingredients

• 500g baby potatoes (small, uniform size, 500g)
• 3.5 cups water (840ml) for parboiling
• ¼ tsp salt (1.2g) for parboiling
• ¾ cup mustard oil (180ml) for frying
• 2 tbsp mustard oil (30ml) for gravy
• 6 tbsp full-fat yogurt (90g), whisked smooth
• 1.25 cups water (300ml) for gravy
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (6g)
• 2 tbsp water (30ml) to dilute chilli powder
• 1 tbsp fennel powder (6g)
• 1 tsp caraway seeds (1.5g)
• 1 inch cinnamon stick (3g)
• 3 cloves (1.5g)
• 1 black cardamom (1.5g)
• 4-5 black peppercorns (1g)
• 1 green cardamom (1.5g, optional)
• ½ tbsp dry ginger powder (4.5g)
• 1 pinch asafoetida (0.3g)
• Salt to taste (about 1 tsp, 5g)

👩‍🍳 How to make Dum Alve

1. Boil 3.5 cups water with ¼ tsp salt in pan
2. Add baby potatoes, cover, boil 9-10 min until half-cooked (knife pierces with slight resistance)
3. Drain well immediately (over-boiling makes them too soft)
4. Cool potatoes slightly, then peel carefully (skin comes off easily)
5. Using fork or needle, poke holes all over each potato (traditional Kashmiri technique using knitting needle)
6. Poking allows spiced yogurt gravy to seep into potato centre
7. Heat ¾ cup mustard oil in deep pan on medium-high heat (oil should shimmer, not smoke)
8. Test oil temperature with one potato piece: it should sizzle immediately
9. Add potatoes in batches (don't overcrowd), fry 4-5 min until golden-brown and crispy on all sides
10. Work in batches, don't stir too much (allows browning)
11. Remove fried potatoes to plate with slotted spoon
12. In separate heavy pan, heat 2 tbsp mustard oil on medium heat
13. Add asafoetida, stir 5 sec (fragrance releases)
14. Mix red chilli powder with 2 tbsp water to form smooth paste (prevents lumps)
15. Pour chilli paste into hot oil, stir constantly 1 min (chilli blooms, colour deepens)
16. Add ground spices (fennel powder, dry ginger powder), stir 30 sec
17. In bowl, whisk yogurt until completely smooth
18. Remove pan from heat temporarily
19. Slowly pour whisked yogurt into chilli-oil mixture while stirring constantly (prevents yogurt from curdling)
20. Return pan to medium heat
21. Add 1.25 cups water, stir well to combine
22. Add whole spices (cinnamon stick, cloves, black cardamom, caraway seeds, optional green cardamom)
23. Add peppercorns
24. Bring to gentle boil, reduce heat to low-medium
25. Gently add fried potatoes to gravy (place carefully to prevent splashing)
26. Cover and cook 8-10 min on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally
27. Gravy should thicken from the potatoes and yogurt, coating the back of a spoon
28. Important: Don't boil vigorously after adding yogurt to prevent curdling
29. Taste and adjust salt at the end (add gradually)
30. If gravy is too thin, simmer uncovered 3-5 min more to reduce
31. Potatoes should be very tender and "absorb every drop of gravy"
32. Visual cue: Golden-brown crispy potatoes coated in thick creamy yogurt-based gravy, spices visible throughout (whole cardamom, cinnamon), rich brown colour, aromatic fennel and ginger scent, potatoes soft inside
33. ---

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