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Potatoes are by far, the most versatile ingredient according to me. Why do I say so? That’s because it blends so well with any dish, be it a vegetable like karela (bitter gourd) or matar (peas). In fact, you would also come across a number of meaty dishes that feature potatoes. The Kolkata biryani is a case in point. Now, with such far and wide reach of this humble vegetable, there are several varieties also on offer.
One such type is the bite-sized potatoes, smaller in size than the regular ones which can be sliced or diced into squares to be added to a dish. These baby potatoes can be used in salads and soups, but the most popular dish that is made with them is dum aloo. To break it down for you, dum is a technique of slow-cooking that is often associated with biryani and meaty dishes and aloo refers to potato in Hindi. In this regard, dum aloo is a slow-cooked creamy aloo dish that comes with a semi-gravy consistency.
However, if you thought that there was just one way to cook the potatoes then you are surely mistaken. We’ve dug out some interesting dum aloo recipes that you would give you a change of taste.
1. Nepali Alu Dum
Just like the potatoes, this dish also perfectly fits the bill for a starter, side dish or snack. The chunks of aloo are spruced up with red chilies, coriander, turmeric and garlic, to be cooked in mustard oil, lending it a strong flavour.
2. Kashmiri Dum Aloo
If you are familiar with Kashmiri cuisine, you would know about their obsession with curd. From meat to vegetables, several of their famous dishes are cooked in curd-based gravy. Dum aloo stands no different. The curd lends the aloo a soft and creamy texture along with the tanginess and pulp of tomatoes in the gravy.
3. Banarasi Dum Aloo
The rich and creamy dum aloo in Banaras might take you by surprise because of its thick gravy dunked with not just potatoes but cubes of paneer aka cottage cheese too. The thickness owes itself to the use of cream, unlike the Kashmiri version.
4. Bengali Alur Dum
Best eaten with luchi, which is a Bengali-style poori, the Bengali alur dum gives the traditional dum aloo a makeover by using spices like bay leaves and garam masala along with the tomato and onion puree.
5. Mughlai Dum Aloo
This is a shahi recipe that takes the dum technique and the royal flavours into account. The use of poppy seeds along with cardamom, cloves and cinnamon lend the dish strong flavours which give it a distinct taste.
