Aloor Dum Bhog Recipe for Shasthi
By Barnali Dutta | Published on September 28, 2014
In spite of all the modernization of Bengali recipes, there is still a continuity of cooking traditional dishes on festival days by following the proper methods of preparing puja bhog satvik food. The first step is choosing the ingredients. We prefer no onion, garlic, or meat. The second is deciding the gathering and offering, which completes the cultural feast.
Even today, while cooking these recipes not as puja bhog but in that spirit, I followed my mother’s instructions. She recalled them from faraway childhood memories, and they brought back the exact taste and aroma, something clearly reflected in the joy she expressed while eating. Today’s recipe is for Shasthi Puja day: Bhuni Khichuri with Aloor Dum and Tomato Amsatto Chutney. We were all left speechless.
Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 10 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes | Yield: 1 large bowl
Serving size: 1 tablespoon | Calories per serving: 215
Ingredients for Bhoger Aloor Dum
- Boiled potato (small and round) – 1 pound
- Ghee or white oil – 3 tbsp
- Salt – to taste
- Sweet curd – 50 gm
- Raisin – 1 tablespoon
- Sugar – 1/2 tsp
- Lemon juice – from 1 lemon
- Green chili – 5
- For tempering: clove – 6, cinnamon – 2 sticks, cardamom – 5, cumin seed – 1 tsp, bay leaves – 3, dried whole red chilli – 4
- For gravy: ginger paste – 1 tbsp, turmeric powder – 2 tsp, red chili powder – 2 tsp
- Bengali special aloor dum masala powder – 2 tsp (dry roasted white peppercorn, nutmeg, mace, cumin, coriander, char magaz or cheraunji nut, cinnamon seeds)
- Paste masala – 2 tbsp (poppy seeds, white sesame, cashew nut paste)
Directions
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until firmly cooked. Peel them and season with salt, turmeric, and chilli powder.
- Fry in ghee or oil until golden brown and firm. Keep aside.
- Take ghee in a handi and crackle the whole spices. Add the ginger paste and stir lightly; do not fry the ginger too much or it may turn bitter. Add the roasted aloor dum masala and stir for 2 minutes, being careful not to burn it. Beat the curd and add it. Bhuno the masala until it oozes oil, then add sugar.
- Add the fried potatoes and raisin. Coat them well with the bhuna masala. Lower the heat and stir from time to time carefully. Add the paste masala, stir again, and let the potatoes simmer in the gravy.
- Cook until the potatoes are tender by covering the handi. Add lemon juice, cover again, and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Do not let the steam escape.
