Niramish Dum Aloo

My growing up days exposed me to a fairly vast culinary spread. This particular dish is very popular with a lot of my Vaishnav friends. Niramish in Bangla refers to vegetarian food without onion and garlic.

Ingredients:

Baby Potatoes: 1/2 kg
Tomato Paste: 1 large tomato pureed in the mixer
Cummin Seeds: 1 tea spoon
Hing (aseoftida): 1 pinch-full
Turmeric: 1/2 tea spoon
Red Chilly Powder: 1/4 tea spoon
Roasted Cummin Seed Powder: 1 tea spoon
Coriander leaves: a small bunch, finely chopped

Preparation:

Pressure cook (or boil) the potatoes (with skin). Let it steam for at least 2 whistles on a medium high flame. Remove from heat, cool, peel the potato skin and set aside.

In a wok heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil. Shallow fry the potatoes till it gets a red coating on it. Remove from wok and place on a tissue paper so that it soaks the excess oil.

Leave about a tea spoon of oil in the wok (add some if you think that the oil in the wok is not enough). Add the cumin seeds and once it splutters add the hing.

Add the tomato paste and cook on medium high till the water content evaporates and the tomato paste looks thicker. Add turmeric and about 1 teaspoon of salt and continue to cook till the masala releases oil. If you find the masala burning just sprinkle a little water and continue cooking.

Once the oil separates add the red chilly powder, the potatoes and about 1/4th cup of water. Mix the ingredients and let it cook for about a couple of minutes (bring it to a boil) on low flame with a lid placed on the wok. Add salt if required during this stage.

Add the roasted cumin seeds powder and the finely chopped coriander leaves. Switch off the heat.

Serve hot with Pulao OR rice and Toor Daal OR roti's.