The potato chronicles

Pushpesh Pant

There are many avatars in which we encounter the aloo aka batata or potato that came to India across many seas with the Portuguese almost 500 years ago. It’s considered a Plebeian staple that comes to our rescue when all other vegetables are beyond reach. It’s not seasonal and can combine with almost any partner including fish, fowl and flesh. Students of history know that it is treated as a staple, a substitute for cereals in some countries and is enjoyed as savoury snacks — from chips to French (originally Belgian!) Fries. We in India use it as filling in parantha, samosa and chaat, but it is the dum/dom version that is at the top of the heap of hundreds of recipes. Kashmiri, Benarasi and Jaipuri aloo dum all have their die-hard patrons, but, for Bengalis, nothing compares with aloo dom paired with luchi. There are many variations — equally tempting for us — on this theme. Here is one that is equally enjoyable with rice or roti, parantha or poori.

Aloo Dom Bengali

Baby potatoes 250g (parboiled and peeled)

Tomatoes 200g puréed

Bay leaf 1

Cinnamon stick 1-inch piece

Green cardamom 2

Garlic-ginger paste 1 tsp

Kashmiri lal mirch powder 1 tsp

Coriander powder 1 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Sugar 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Ghee 2 tbsp

Method:

Prick the potatoes with a tooth pick all over.

Heat ghee in a pan. Add bay leaf and whole spices. As soon as these change colour, put in the ginger-garlic paste and stir fry briskly for 30 seconds. Then add the powdered spices dissolved in a little water to avoid scorching. Add the tomato purée along with salt and sugar. Cook on medium flame till the fat separates. Now put in the potatoes and cover and cook on low flame for 15 minutes. Uncover once in between and sprinkle a little water if required. Stir. The gravy should be thick in consistency.