Cooking

Today’s recipe takes stuffed aloo dum to another level by using chana dal as the filling. The combination of crispy potato shells, a mildly sweet and savoury stuffing and a rich, aromatic gravy makes this vegetarian preparation perfect for serving with luchi or paratha. Although the recipe requires a little more time and effort than regular aloo dum, the final taste makes the extra work worthwhile.

To begin, take five medium-sized potatoes and wash them thoroughly before peeling them. Cut the potatoes in half and boil them lightly. Make sure they are only partially cooked and do not become too soft. Once they have cooled slightly, carefully remove the centre of each potato with a spoon while leaving a reasonably thick layer around the edges. The potato shells must remain intact because they will later be stuffed and cooked in the gravy. Do not throw away the scooped-out potato because it will be used to prepare the filling.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the potato shells until they become lightly golden and firm on the outside. Once done, remove them from the pan and keep them aside.

For the stuffing, soak chana dal for around six hours. Drain the water and grind the dal into a fine paste along with ginger, green chillies and a little water. Heat some oil in a pan and add the prepared mixture. Add the scooped-out potato, a pinch of hing, grated coconut, turmeric powder and cumin powder. Mix everything well and continue cooking.

Add chopped cashews, raisins, a little salt and sugar to the mixture. Cook until the stuffing becomes dry and comes together into a soft, well-mixed filling. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool. Once the mixture has cooled sufficiently, carefully fill each fried potato shell with the chana dal stuffing.

The next step is to prepare the rich gravy. Heat mustard oil in a kadai and add cumin seeds, bay leaf and dried red chilli for tempering. Once the spices begin to release their aroma, add tomato paste and finely chopped ginger. Cook the mixture well until the raw smell disappears and the oil begins to separate.

Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, a little sugar and salt. Cook the spices thoroughly to develop a rich and aromatic base for the gravy.

Beat the curd separately and add it to the pan along with a smooth paste made from cashews, poppy seeds and charmagaz. Stir continuously so that the mixture blends properly with the spices and the curd does not split. Add water according to the consistency required and allow the gravy to come to a boil.

Once the gravy starts bubbling, carefully place the stuffed potatoes into the pan. Cover and cook for a few minutes over a low to medium flame, allowing the gravy to penetrate the potato shells and the stuffing to absorb the flavours of the spices.

Finally, sprinkle a little garam masala and add a touch of ghee before turning off the heat. The stuffed aloo dum is now ready to serve.

Compared with ordinary aloo dum, this chana dal stuffed version requires a little more preparation and patience. However, the combination of the crispy potato shell, flavourful chana dal filling and rich, aromatic gravy gives the dish a distinctive taste that can easily make it the star of a festive or weekend meal. Serve it hot with luchi or paratha and this vegetarian Bengali delicacy is sure to be enjoyed by both children and adults.