Authentic Kashmiri Dum Aloo Recipe (Kashmiri Pandit Style)
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Learn how to make authentic Kashmiri Dum Aloo (Kashmiri Pandit style) at home. Baby potatoes simmered in a yogurt-and-Kashmiri-chili gravy with fennel and dry ginger. Easy step-by-step recipe.
Here are a few more potato recipes you may like: Shahi Aloo Pyaz Ki Sabzi, Mathura Ke Dubki Wale Aloo, Aloo ke Gutke, Aloo Anardana, Aloo Posto, and Achari Aloo.
Table of Contents
Just before moving to the US, we took a quick trip to Kashmir. Apart from enjoying the landscape, we indulged in the delicious Kashmiri cuisine. While Mohit loved their non-vegetarian fare, I was hooked on the vegetarian recipes. This Kashmiri-style dum aloo was one of the dishes, along with Kashmiri Rajma masala, that I loved and recreated back home as soon as we were back.
Keep in mind that this is not a restaurant-style dum aloo that you are used to eating when going out. Restaurants mostly serve the Punjabi version of dum aloo. Kashmiri aloo dum is a very different curry with a very unique taste of fennel and dry ginger powder.
What Is Kashmiri Dum Aloo?
Kashmiri Dum Aloo, called Dum Olav in Kashmiri, is a slow-cooked baby potato curry from the Kashmir Valley in India. It belongs to traditional Kashmiri Pandit cuisine, the vegetarian, satvik-style cooking that skips onion, garlic, and tomato entirely.
The word dum means “to cook in trapped steam,” and aloo means “potato.” So the dish is exactly what its name promises: potatoes slow-steamed in a sealed pot until they soak up every drop of the gravy.
What makes it different from the other Dum Aloo recipes you find across India:
- Kashmiri Pandit Dum Aloo: Yogurt-based, no onion, no garlic, no tomato (this recipe)
- Punjabi Dum Aloo: Rich onion-tomato-cream gravy with garam masala
- Bengali Dum Aloo (Aloor Dum): Slightly sweet, with bay leaves and ghee
The Kashmiri version is the most minimal of the three, and arguably the most flavorful. It is also naturally gluten-free and easy to make vegan with a plant-based yogurt swap.
Why You’ll Love This Family Favorite Recipe!
- No onion, no garlic, no tomato: Perfect for Navratri, Ekadashi, and Jain-friendly meals
- Pantry-friendly spices: Once you stock fennel powder and dry ginger powder, the rest is easy
- Make-ahead friendly: Actually tastes better the next day
- One-pot after frying the potatoes
- Easily made vegan and gluten-free
Ingredients
- Baby Potatoes – This recipe is traditionally made using baby potatoes. Baby potatoes have a higher starch content and hold their shape well after boiling and frying. Use evenly sized baby potatoes. Use regular large potatoes, cut into large chunks, if baby potatoes are not easily available.
- Oil – Make this curry in mustard oil for an authentic taste. To deep-fry the potatoes, you can use either mustard oil or any other cooking oil.
- Whole Spices – The use of whole spices such as cloves (laung), dry red chilies, bay leaf, black cardamom (badi elaichi), green cardamom (hari elaichi), and black peppercorn (kali mirch) adds a delicious aroma and flavor. You can also add cumin seeds, shahi jeera, and a cinnamon stick.
- Spice Powders – The curry is spiced with Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, dry ginger powder (sonth), cumin powder, fennel powder (saunf powder), garam masala powder, asafetida (hing), and salt.
- Yogurt (Dahi, Curd) – It makes the base of this delicious gravy. If using homemade yogurt, then make sure it is not sour.
- All-Purpose Flour (Maida) – Traditionally, flour is not added to this curry. But if you are not very comfortable cooking with yogurt, add a little flour to prevent it from splitting. It also doesn’t alter the dish’s taste.
How To Make Kashmiri Style Dum Aloo
Cook The Potatoes
Step 1: Wash 400 g of baby potatoes and prick them all over using a fork or a toothpick. Kashmiri families traditionally use a knitting needle. Pricking is what allows the spiced yogurt gravy to seep into the center. Skip this step and the inside stays bland.
Step 2: Heat 3-4 cups of water in a pan over medium-high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt and potatoes to the pan.
Step 3: Cook for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. You can cover the pan to speed up the process. Drain the water, then peel the potatoes. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin if it is not coming out easily with your fingers.
You can also choose to keep the potato skin on.
Fry The Potatoes
Step 4: Heat 3 cups of oil in a pan over high heat for frying.
Step 5: Once the oil is very hot, add the potatoes to the pan and fry until golden brown.
Step 6: Drain on a plate and keep aside.
Healthier swap: You can air-fry the pricked potatoes at 200°C / 400°F for 12-15 minutes, brushed with mustard oil. The texture is slightly less crisp but works beautifully.
Make The Curry
Step 7: Add the following ingredients to a bowl.
- ½ cup of plain yogurt
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 teaspoon fennel powder
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour (not traditional)
I always add a little flour to yogurt-based gravies to prevent the yogurt from splitting while cooking. This one step makes cooking with yogurt so much easier. It is not traditional, though.
Step 8: Whisk well until combined.
Step 9: Heat 4 tablespoon mustard oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Step 10: Once the oil is hot, add the following ingredients to the pan and fry for 4-5 seconds.
- 2 whole bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida
- 2 whole Kashmiri dry red chilies
- 3-4 cloves (crushed)
- 2 black cardamoms (crushed)
- 2 green cardamoms (crushed)
- 5-6 whole peppercorns
Step 11: Reduce the heat to low. Pour the yogurt mixture into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.
Step 12: Add the deep-fried baby potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 cups of water to the pan and mix well.
Add just 1 cup of water if you want a thicker gravy.
Step 13: Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 10-12 minutes. This is the actual “dum”: slow steam cooking that lets the potatoes absorb the masala.
Step 14: Check for salt and add more if needed. Serve hot.
Kashmiri Dum Aloo FAQs
After adding the whole spices, add ½ cup of finely chopped onions and 2 teaspoon of minced garlic to the pan. Fry until onions are light golden brown. Then follow the remaining recipe as is.
Kashmiri Dum Aloo will last for 2-3 days when stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. The flavor actually improves on day two as the potatoes absorb more masala. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave until hot, then serve. Add hot water while reheating to adjust the curry’s consistency.
I do not recommend freezing it as the potatoes might turn grainy and the yogurt might split when the curry is thawed.
Serving Suggestions
Traditional Kashmiri families serve Dum Olav with plain steamed rice. The mild rice lets the spiced gravy take center stage.
It can also be served with Indian bread such as Poori, Phulka, Plain Tawa Paratha, Lachha Paratha, Butter Naan, Khamiri Roti, or Tandoori Roti.
This spicy gravy also tastes delicious with Jeera Rice, Peas Pulao, or any other lightly spiced pulao.
For a complete Kashmiri-themed meal, serve alongside Kashmiri pulao and a cup of kahwa to finish.
Other Kashmiri Recipes We Recommend
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Authentic Kashmiri Dum Aloo Recipe (Kashmiri Pandit Style)
Ingredients
To Fry The Potatoes
- 400 grams baby potatoes (or regular potatoes cut into large chunks.)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 3 cups oil (for frying)
For The Yogurt Mixture
- ½ cup plain yogurt (dahi, curd)
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder (sonth)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 teaspoons fennel powder (saunf powder)
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour (maida) (not traditional)
For The Curry
- 4 tablespoons mustard oil
- 2 whole bay leaves (tejpatta)
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 2 whole Kashmiri dry red chilies
- 3-4 cloves (laung) (crushed)
- 2 black cardamoms (badi elaichi) (crushed)
- 2 green cardamoms (hari elaichi) (crushed)
- 5-6 whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Instructions
Cook The Potatoes
- Wash the potatoes and prick them all over using a fork or a toothpick. Kashmiri families traditionally use a knitting needle. Pricking is what allows the spiced yogurt gravy to seep into the center. Skip this step, and the inside stays bland.
- Heat 3-4 cups of water in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the water comes to a boil, add salt and potatoes to the pan.
- Cook for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. You can cover the pan to speed up the process.
- Drain the water, then peel the potatoes. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin if it is not coming out easily with your fingers.
Fry The Potatoes
- Heat oil for frying in a pan over high heat.
- Once the oil is very hot, add the potatoes to the pan and fry until they turn golden brown in color.
- Drain on a plate and keep aside.
Make The Curry
- Add yogurt, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin powder, ginger powder, garam masala powder, fennel powder, and all-purpose flour to a bowl and whisk well until combined.
- Heat mustard oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add whole bay leaves, asafetida, dry red chilies, cloves, black cardamoms, green cardamoms, and peppercorns, and fry for 4-5 seconds.
- Reduce the heat to low. Pour the yogurt mixture into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add the fried potatoes, salt, and 2 cups of water to the pan and mix well.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 10-12 minutes. This is the actual “dum”: slow steam cooking that lets the potatoes absorb the masala.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Serve hot.
Brilliant,
Cooked twice now, the 2nd time I did not peel potatoes this time.
Found they were breaking apart when peeled and deep fried.
Also used fresh seeded green jalapenos.Its what I had in my cupboard.
I added garlic as well ,Because I like it.
Permanently book marked and now researching, other of you delicious recipes.
Thank you.
Happy to hear1
Neha…although the recipe is very close to the authentic one, however, it misses some very essential preparation steps. Being a KP, I think I can say that with authenticity. I would love to share them with you, if you would like to.
I liked a lot of your other recipes and think that you are doing an amazing job with this blog. Cheers to that 🙂
Sure, That will be great. This recipe is given to me by a Kashmiri herself, so may be there are different ways of preparing it and I am always happy to learn a new way 🙂
Loved it
Thanks
Thanks for posting mouth watering recipe
Hi Neha, u have a very beautiful blog. Your pictures are just awesome. The way you stage your food is outstandingly good. Did you learn it somewhere or it just the hobby? Even the dishes and the stuff u have is very nice. Little curious to know, hope u don’t mind answer it.
Hey Bhawana. Thnx for the appreciation. I learned photography on my own. No professional training. Just kept experimenting with different modes in the camera. Dishes I collect from where ever I go. Whatever good stuff I see, I buy it. Hope this will help.
mouth watering recipe dear, great clicks…
Simply awesome ..adorable clicks dear 🙂
I have made dum aloo for first time and i followed your recepy. The dish turned out so yummy . Thanks a lot . Everybody loved it .