NIRAMISH ALOOR DUM

LUCHI -ALOOR DUM; a patent Bengali breakfast menu and if its a weekend, it has to be accompanied with halwa  or jalebi / jilipi or pantua or roshogolla or sandesh; the list is varied.... the aloor dum is static. The word 'Niramish' means vegetarian. Among us onion, garlic are considered as non-vegetarian too. This NIRAMISH ALOOR DUM is prepared without onion and garlic. At times we offer this to the God along with Rice Pulao or luchi!

There are various other ways of preparing Aloor Dum, sometimes with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste or even with a combination of milk n lemon juice in the marination. I shall definitely come up with them some day.

As I told in the beginning, Aloor Dum, accompanied with Luchi tastes divine. It even goes very well with polao & fried rice; jeera rice or lemon rice! I remember, a foodie that I was, I relished and cherished every bit of the aloo smeared with the gravy, and then there was the finger licking part. These were the small things we enjoyed as a kid . Even today, as a mother, as a teacher, I would not admit or agree with the fact that these small acts are anyway against table manners. Humans should not turn robots. In self defence, I get more close to traditions and I do not have any qualms about it!

This NIRAMISH ALOOR DUM  is prepared with a generous amount of tomato which works as a good substitute to onion and garlic and adds  to the colour of the gravy. Nonetheless to say, Kashmiri Mirch is a must have in my kitchen just for the colour factor! The best part of it is that you can have this spicy potato curry with toasted breads too;  thats how they are served at the Kolkata roadside tea stalls!

INGREDIENTS :

Potato(medium sized) : 500 gm
Tomato( medium sized) : 2

Green Pea : 1/2 small tea cup size
Green Chilli paste : 1 tbsp
Ginger Paste : 2 tsp
Cumin Powder : 1 tsp
Salt : As per taste
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds: 2 pinches
Bengali Garam Masala Powder(a mix of cinnamon,green cardamom,cloves) : 4 pinch
Bay Leaf : 1
Sugar : 1/4 tsp
Coriander Leaves : 25 gm chopped ( optional)
Oil : 4 table spoon

Skip the garnish of ghee if you want it to be vegan.

 METHOD :

Peel, wash and cut the potatoes into halves. Apply little salt and turmeric. Keep aside for not more than 15-20 minutes, otherwise they turn black.

Wash and cut the tomatoes into small pieces and discard the seeds. Slit the green chillies. Keep the ginger paste, green chilli paste ready. Keep the salt, turmeric, cumin powder, red chilli powder separately in small bowls.

Heat oil in a wok. Fry the potato pieces until golden brown in batches. Take out. Temper oil with cumin seeds and one bay leaf. Add the ginger paste. Fry till the raw smell goes away. Add the green chilli paste. Fry for 1 minute.

Now add the tomato pieces and cook until soft. Add the green peas. Stir for a while. Add the red chilli powder, salt, turmeric, cumin powder, mix well. Stir till the oil separates from the spice mix.

Add the the fried potatoes. Fold in well with the spices. Add  half coffee mug of water. Cover and cook for five minutes at low heat. Wait for the gravy to thicken. Add the sugar and Bengali Garam Masala,  chopped coriander leaves, give a stir. Switch off the gas stove. It is done.

Enjoy with chapati, poori, paratha, pilaf or even toasted bread slices.