Aloo Dum in Cashew Broth

Ingredients

• 500 g baby potatoes , boiled tender, peeled, pricked with a fork, pan-fried golden
• 1/2 cup cashew , raw, soaked in warm water 30 minutes, ground with 1/2 cup water to a fine milk
• 1/2 cup curd (yogurt) , fresh, whisked smooth
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp ginger , finely grated
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)
• 1 cup water
• 1.5 tsp salt

Preparation

1. 1

   Whisk the smooth cashew milk and fresh yogurt together in a small bowl; set aside.

2. 2

   Heat the ghee in a heavy saucepan over medium flame.

3. 3

   Add the cumin seeds and allow them to crackle.

4. 4

   Add the grated ginger and hing; sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.

5. 5

   Add the turmeric powder and coriander powder; bloom in the ghee for 10 seconds.

6. 6

   Lower the heat and pour in the cashew-yogurt mixture, stirring continuously with a whisk to prevent curdling.

7. 7

   Cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and beads of ghee separate from the edges.

8. 8

   Add the golden pan-fried baby potatoes, salt, and 1 cup of water; stir to coat.

9. 9

   Cover tightly with a lid, reduce heat to the lowest setting, and simmer for 15 minutes (dum) to allow the sauce to penetrate the potatoes.

10. 10

    Stir in the garam masala, turn off the heat, and rest covered for 5 minutes before serving.

In the tradition

Sources & further reading

• ◆ Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking , Yamuna Devi (Page 256, Braj-Style Dum Aloo in Cashew Sauce)

Classical citations mark where a tradition is drawn on; modern books are shared as further reading, not as prescriptions.