Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Prepare Baby Potatoes

   Boil 10-15 baby potatoes, peel their skin, and then prick them all over with a toothpick to allow the flavors to penetrate later.

2. 2.Shallow Fry Potatoes

   Heat a pan with a little oil. Add the pricked baby potatoes and shallow fry them until they are golden brown and slightly crispy. Sprinkle a little salt and red chili powder over them while frying. Set aside.

3. 3.Prepare Gravy Paste

   In a mixer grinder, combine the chopped onions, chopped tomato, 2 green chilies, 2 tsp ginger garlic paste, 2 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp pepper powder, 5 cashews, 4 tsp watermelon seeds, 1 cardamom, 4-5 cloves, and 1 piece of cinnamon stick. Add a little water and blend everything into a fine, smooth paste.

4. 4.Cook Gravy Base

   Heat oil in a kadai (wok). Add a little cumin seeds. Once they splutter, immediately add 4-5 tsp red chili powder. Stir quickly for a few seconds, then add the prepared gravy paste from the mixer. Fry the paste on high flame, stirring continuously, until the oil starts to separate from the gravy, indicating it's well-cooked.

5. 5.Add Spices and Curd

   To the cooked gravy, add garam masala and kitchen king masala (if using). Mix well. Then, add 1 cup of curd. Reduce the flame to low before adding curd to prevent it from curdling. Mix thoroughly and continue to cook on low flame until the oil separates again.

6. 6.Season and Adjust Consistency

   Add salt to taste. Crush a little kasuri methi between your palms and add it to the gravy. Mix well. Add water to achieve your desired gravy consistency; a slightly thick consistency is recommended for dum aloo.

7. 7.Simmer Potatoes in Gravy

   Once the gravy comes to a boil after adding water, add the shallow-fried baby potatoes. Mix gently to coat the potatoes evenly with the gravy. Cover the kadai and let it simmer on low flame for 10 minutes, allowing the potatoes to absorb the flavors.

8. 8.Serve Punjabi Dum Aloo

   Your delicious Punjabi Dum Aloo is now ready. Serve hot with fulka, chapati, naan, or rice. Enjoy!