The authentic Kashmiri Dum Aloo gravy is hot, super hot. The main spice behind the dark red colour of the gravy is red paprika, which is a famous produce of Kashmir. North Indians love their food spicy and Kashmiri food is at an extreme. Kashmiri Stuffed Dum Aloo becomes milder coming down to the plains and further down south.

Most restaurants sell a milder version of the preparation. Pujab and Bengal have their very distinct Stuffed Dum Aloo recipes. The following recipe is moderately spicy, it has been moderated to suit a wider range of palates.

Kashmiri Stuffed Dum Aloo: Ingredients 

Potatoes –    5 pieces 

Paneer-   100 grams

Plain yoghurt-  50 grams

Cashew nuts-   100 grams 

Raisins-  25-30 grams 

Tomato-   1

Ginger paste-    2.5 tsp

Green chillies-    4-5 pieces

Kashmiri Mirch powder-   2 tsp

Garam Masala powder-   1 tsp

Turmeric powder-  1 tsp

Salt-   to taste

Vegetable oil-   as required

Indian Clarified butter (Ghee)- 1 tsp

Special masala –   1 tsp 

Kashmiri Stuffed Dum Aloo: Preparation 

Step 1: Boil potatoes in water mixed with 1 tsp of salt. Boil just enough so that you can peel the skin– but don’t boil so much that makes the potatoes mushy.

Allow the potatoes to give off some heat, then remove the skins. Do it carefully, making sure you don’t make scratches and grooves and craters on the potato surface.

Step 2: Soak a few cashew nuts in water

Step 3: Scoop out the central mass of the potatoes. The scooped portions will be used in making the stuffing.

Step 4: Sprinkle salt, turmeric powder and Kashmiri paprika powder all over the potatoes. Mix the spices and potatoes well.

Step 5: Get the scooped mass of potatoes, hung curd, some salt, sugar, a few cashew nuts and raisins together. Fry them in white oil on low flame for a few minutes. That makes the stuffing. 

Step 6: Using the mixer, make a paste of tomatoes, ginger and green chillies. Remove the paste and wash the mixer jar thoroughly for the next operation. Now, make a grainy paste of the soaked cashew nuts. 

Step 7: Heat white oil on a low flame. Fry the scooped, hollow potatoes with care so that they don’t break

Step 8: Now gently fill the hollow of the fried potatoes with the stuffing paste that you made in step 5

Step 9: Take a non-stick frying pan, heat white oil in it. Add ginger paste, keep stirring for a minute. 

Step 10: Add Kashmiri chilly powder (Kashmiri Mirch), salt, sugar, special masala to the pan and keep stirring for another minute. 

Step 11: Beat the plain yoghurt and add to the mixture on the frying pan. Keep stirring. 

Step 12: As you continue stirring the mixture on the pan, it will give off the natural oil held inside the ingredients. Now add the cashew paste to the mixture. Stir for a minute. Then add the stuffed potatoes to the mixture. Stir for two minutes, then add hot water depending on how thick you want the gravy to be. Put the lid on the pan and wait for a while. 

Step 13: When the gravy becomes thicker, add garam masala and switch off the flame. 

Your Kashmiri Stuffed Dum Aloo is ready to be served now. This aromatic, thick and redish potato curry is best enjoyed with Tandoori Rotis fresh off the oven or white rice.