Dum aloo is a popular Kashmiri curry featuring perfectly cooked baby potatoes coated in an aromatic, rich, and creamy cashew tomato sauce. It’s a delicious potato curry that’s very easy to make in an instant pot.
Everyone loves potatoes, right? Is it possible to love them even more? Yes! Just smother them in a creamy spiced cashew tomato sauce! This recipe for dum aloo is absolutely delicious, and thanks to the instant pot, it’s easy to make too.
My dum aloo recipe is easy enough to make on a weeknight and fancy enough to serve company or on a special occasion. It’s naturally vegetarian and gluten-free – perfect for nearly any diet.
It’s not very common for the humble potato to be the star of a dish – especially the main dish. But in dum aloo, the potatoes don’t have to share the spotlight the way they do in my aloo gobi or aloo beans recipes. They’re also not a side dish like in my recipe for aloo methi. Nope. These baby potatoes are not a side or a stuffing or a co-star. They are why you’re coming to the show dinner tonight. Give these guys a shot, and you’ll come back for an encore.
What is dum aloo? What does “dum” mean?
When I first made this dum aloo for my family, my husband told me he didn’t think the potatoes were very “dumb.” He was joking, of course (I’m thankful to be married to a guy with my cheesy/terrible sense of humor).
“Dum” refers to a type of cooking method where food is simmered over low heat in a sealed pot, which helps retain the steam, which in turn keeps the dish moist. These baby potatoes are cooked over high heat in a short amount of time, so it’s true they aren’t “dum,” but the flavor of dum aloo is the same.
What does dum aloo taste like? Imagine perfectly cooked baby potatoes swimming in a creamy spiced cashew tomato sauce. You can stir in some heavy cream or yogurt (or coconut cream if you’re vegan) for extra richness and then top it all off with a sprinkle of dried fenugreek leaves.
Serve this dum aloo with any Indian flatbread or with basmati rice. A pretty smart pairing if I say so myself. 😉
Instant Pot Dum Aloo
Instant Pot Dum Aloo
Ingredients
- 11-12 baby potatoes approx. 1½ pounds, peeled
Onion Tomato Sauce
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1- inch ginger roughly chopped
- 2 tomatoes roughly chopped
Creamy Cashew Sauce
- ⅓ cup cashews
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon oil of choice
Spices
- 2 teaspoons paprika or Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves kasoori methi
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or yogurt or coconut milk optional
Instructions
- Prick the potatoes in several places with a fork.
- Add the onion, garlic, ginger and tomatoes to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside.
- To make the creamy cashew sauce, add the cashews and ½ cup water to the blender and puree until smooth. Set aside.
- Press the sauté button and add oil and the blended onion and tomato mixture. Stir-fry for 8-10 minutes until the mixture has thickened.
- Add the spices and the potatoes and mix well, then add ½ cup water to the pot.
- Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 8 minutes at high pressure.
- Open the valve to quick release any remaining pressure.
- Stir in the cashew sauce, fenugreek leaves and cream if using.
Maneesha says
Ahh absolutely delicious, Ashley! I made this last night, and I told my husband that it is “dum aloo,” and he said exactly what your husband said! “Hey, aloo aren’t dumb!” This was such a delicious dish, and I love how easy it was to make without compromising on flavor!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Haha! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂