Bengali Aloo Dum

Bengali Aloo Dum (Baby Potatoes Curry) is a quintessential Bengali weekend breakfast, often paired with luchi (fried mini flat bread). This Bengali style Dum Aloo or Aloor Dum is a favorite in many households, and is a famous Kolkata street food too.

In India, there are several different versions of baby potato curry, "aloo dum" or "dum aloo". In Kolkata, it is a famous winter food, prepared with newly harvested baby potatoes.

We love to pair it with luchi or koraishutir kochuri which is another winter favorite, and even with Bengali fried rice or pulao.

Bengali Aloo Dum is easy to make and very comforting. The baby potatoes just melts in the mouth as it soaks up all that flavor while simmering in the gravy.

Even kids love this dish.

Ingredients for Aloo Dum

Baby Potatoes - We prepare this dish using newly harvested baby potatoes. If you cannot find baby potatoes, you can definitely make with the big potatoes too.

Green peas - We like to add green peas in Aloo Dum as it adds a mild sweetness to the dish. You can use either fresh peas or frozen.

Onion, Garlic, and Ginger - The dish is sometimes prepared "niramish" which means pure vegetarian in which case onion and garlic is not added. In this particular version, I did add onion, garlic and ginger too.

Tomatoes - Potato and Tomato goes hand in hand. If you cannot find good quality tomatoes during winter months, you can use canned tomatoes too.

Spices - I use Bengali five spice (panch phoron), the usual mix of cumin coriander and chili powder along with turmeric. And I like to finish it with freshly grounded cinnamon stick, clove and green cardamoms.

Green Chili - Most Bengali recipe calls for whole green chili which not only adds heat but also a very refreshing aroma.

Mustard Oil - This dish is prepared in mustard oil, which gives a pungent flavor to the dish.

Is this different from North Indian Aloo Dum

Every region has their favorite potato curry. The difference often comes from the spices that are used in preparing the curry. Also, the Bengali Aloor Dum is prepared in mustard, which adds to the overall flavor of the dish.

Steps to prepare Bengali Aloo Dum

1. Boil the baby potatoes in salted water until it's tender and can be pierced by a fork easily.
2. Peel the potatoes and keep aside. Keep in mind that it is easy to peel potatoes while it's still little warm.

3. Heat mustard oil in a heavy bottom skillet and add panch phoron (Bengali five spice) along with bay leaves. Stir it around for a few seconds.

4. Add garlic, ginger and green chili paste and cook for a few more minutes.

5. Scatter the onion and let it softened for a while.

6. Then add the chopped tomato followed by the spice paste (cumin powder, coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder with water)

7. Cook the spices, onion and tomatoes until the oil releases from the side and everything softens down to a jam like texture.

8. Add the boiled potatoes and mix it around. Let it cook for a while in the spices.

9. Pour enough water to submerge the potatoes, cover and let it simmer for 20 minutes. The potatoes will soak up all the flavor and will turn very soft. Taste for salt and add more if needed.

10. Finally, add green peas, freshly grounded cinnamon stick, cardamom and clove.

Aloo dum tastes best when serve freshly prepared and warm.

Recipe Video

Here are few other traditional Bengali dishes you must try

Chicken Ghugni

Tomato Khejur Chutney

Pomelo Salad – Bengali Style

Cholar Dal

Egg Omelette Curry

Bengali Aloo Dum (Spiced Baby Potatoes)

Kankana Saxena

Bengali Aloo Dum (Baby Potatoes Curry) is a quintessential Bengali weekend breakfast, often paired with luchi (fried mini flat bread). This Bengali style Dum Aloo or Aloor Dum is a favorite in many households, and is a famous Kolkata street food too.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Indian

Calories 750 kcal

Ingredients

 

• 1 lb baby potatoes
• ⅓ cup Frozen/fresh peas
• 2 tablespoons Mustard oil
• 1/ teaspoon Indian Five Spice (panch phoron)
• 3 small Bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 red onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 2 green chili
• 3 garlic cloves
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 and ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder
• 1 small Cinnamon stick
• 4 green cardamoms
• 5 cloves

Instructions

 

• Boil the baby potatoes in salted water and then peel the skin off. Keep it aside.
• Place a heavy bottom saucepan at medium heat and drizzle the mustard oil. When the oil heats up, add the five spice along with bay leaves and toss it around for a while.
• Finely chop ginger, garlic and 1 green chili and add it to the pan. Stir it around and cook for 1 minute.
• Scatter the onion, season with salt and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the chopped tomato.
• Take a bowl and add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and chili powder along with 2 tablespoons of water. Give it a mix and pour it to the pan. Stir and cook for about 7 minutes, or until you see the oil being released from the corner of the pan.
• Sprinkle ½ teaspoon sugar, stir it around. Drop the boiled potatoes and stir to coat the spice mix evenly. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Pour 1 and ½ cup water, add the whole green chili, mix it around, bring it to boil and then lower the heat to medium. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the green peas and also check for salt.
• Using a motor pestle, freshly ground the cinnamon stick, clove and cardamom. Add it to the pan and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Enjoy Aloo Dum warm with puffed luchi.

Video

Notes

I used tomato paste only because I like the rich color it gives. You can always replace it with 2 medium juicy tomatoes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serves 4Calories: 750kcalCarbohydrates: 114gProtein: 13gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gSodium: 4995mgPotassium: 2357mgFiber: 21gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 81IUVitamin C: 114mgCalcium: 219mgIron: 8mg

Keyword 30 minutes meal, Bengali curry, breakfast, curries, potatoes,