Alur Dum Bengali Potato Curry

Method

1. 1

   Boil and prepare the potatoes: Wash small potatoes and boil whole with skin in salted water for 12 minutes until just tender — a fork should enter with some resistance, not easily. Peel them while still warm. Using a fork, prick each potato all over — about 8 to 10 pricks per potato. The pricking allows oil to penetrate and the flavour of the gravy to be absorbed during dum cooking.

2. 2

   Fry the boiled potatoes: Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a wide pan until smoking, then reduce to medium. Add the pricked potatoes. Fry stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until the outside turns golden and slightly blistered. The fried surface develops more flavour than unfried potato. Remove and keep aside.

3. 3

   Add panch phoron and whole spices: In the same pan with remaining oil, add panch phoron blend, bay leaves and dried red chilli. They will sizzle and crackle within seconds. Stir for 15 seconds.

4. 4

   Add ginger and tomatoes: Add ginger paste — stir for 30 seconds. Add finely chopped tomatoes. Cook on medium heat stirring every 2 minutes for 6 minutes until the tomatoes break down completely into a thick sauce.

5. 5

   Add spice powders: Turn to low heat. Add turmeric, red chilli powder and cumin powder. Stir 2 minutes on low heat. The Bengali version of alur dum uses fewer spices than the Punjabi version — the flavour comes from the panch phoron, tomato and mustard oil.

6. 6

   Add sugar: Add 1/2 tsp sugar. This small amount of sugar is characteristic of Bengali cooking — it brings balance without making the dish sweet.

7. 7

   Add water and salt: Add 1/2 cup water and salt. Stir well. Bring to a simmer.

8. 8

   Add the fried potatoes: Add the fried potatoes to the simmering gravy. Stir gently to coat every potato.

9. 9

   Cover and cook on low heat (dum): Cover the pan tightly. Cook on very low heat for 10 minutes. The potatoes will absorb the spiced tomato gravy slowly through the dum process.

10. 10

    Open and serve: Open the lid. Stir gently once. The gravy should be thick and clinging to the potatoes. Scatter fresh coriander leaves on top. Serve with luchi (puffed fried bread) or steamed rice.

11. 11

    Note: Alur Dum is the standard accompaniment for luchi (puffed Bengali fried bread) and is made in every Bengali household on Sunday mornings, at Durga Puja and during other festivities. The Bengali version is distinguished from other regional versions by the panch phoron tempering and the characteristic pinch of sugar. It is one of the most frequently cooked potato dishes in all of West Bengal.