Try the delicious Kashmiri Dum Aloo at one of the best Indian vegetarian restaurants in Bali.

The art of cooking Kashmiri dishes is a tough one but it’s is safe to say that we as one of the Indian vegetarian restaurants in Bali have managed to crack it. One among the delicious dishes of Kashmiri cuisine is the spice filled, perfectly cooked dum aloo. Like many Indian dishes, this too has multiple variants across different regions. Of course, the true flavors hail from the valleys of Kashmir. Well, the deep fried baby potatoes are slow cooked on low flame which then allows the flavor of the spices to be properly absorbed into them.

The Cooking Technique

The cooking method that is employed to whip up the delicious Dum Aloo is known as Dum Phuket. The term translates to choking the steam, which is to say that whatever is cooked using this technique is closed tightly from all corners so that the steam cannot escape and this steam helps cook the dish and also add brilliant flavors to it.

When it comes to the origination of the technique, there are two conflicting statements to support it. We decided to research on it as an Indian caterer in Ubud, Kuta, Nusa Dua, and Seminyak. It led us to the first one being that the technique was introduced to India in the 16th century by the Mughals while it originates from Persia, another one points to the technique belonging to Awadh in India.

The technique works successfully in a Handi or a clay pot with a thick and heavy bottom so as to ensure that food doesn’t burn or get stuck to its base due to the long hours of cooking. It is usually covered with a saucer type lid and then sealed tightly with flour dough. The pot is then left on burning coal and some are even placed on top of the lid so as to equally distribute the heat.

Recipe

Here’s a recipe of the delectable dish as followed by us at Queen’s Tandoor Seminyak.

Soak cashews and almonds in water

After washing the potatoes pierce them multiple times with a fork and boil them

Soak up all the moisture of the potatoes and deep fry them with or without the skin

Dry roast cinnamon sticks, cloves, green cardamom, star anise, bay leaf, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and fennel seeds on a medium flame for a minute.

Once these dry roasted spices cool down grind them with a little water, ginger, and cashews and almonds

Heat oil/ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and thing. When cumin seeds start to sizzle and change color to deep brown, mix in ground cashew-almond paste and stir well for 2-3 minutes on medium flame

Add some sugar and yogurt to the mix. After a minute add water to it and salt to taste. Put it on low heat and cover the pan. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the potatoes and more water if needed. Cover it again and seal the lid with the flour dough. Leave it for 15-20 minutes.

Your delectable dish is ready to be served!

Come down to Queen’s, one of the best Indian vegetarian restaurants in Bali.