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Dum Aloo

If you are not familiar with Dum Aloo, let me tell you the first bite you have you will fall in love with Dum Aloo. The dish gets its name from it's traditional method of cooking. The aloo (potatoes) are slow cooked with spices in an earthen pot covered an earthen lid. The edges of the earthen pot and the lid are sealed with dough, acting like a pressure cooker (dum) so the steam doesn't escape and the potatoes are cooked in it's own juices. Thus the name Dum Aloo.

Can you imagine the medley of flavors, aroma and soft yet firm potatoes covered with spices. I am literally drooling here as I write this blog.The once exotic dish has recently been rotating frequently on our kitchen menu, simply because it's so easy to make Dum Aloo in a pressure cooker today. Ofcourse minus the flavors of the earthen pots, but still worth it. So I decided to finally share this recipe with you.

Dum Aloo Variations

• Kashmiri Dum Aloo - the potatoes are deep fried and cooked with dry spices without any ginger, garlic, onions, tomatoes or cream but just enough spices to coat the potatoes.
• Bengali Dum Aloo - the potatoes are cooked in mustard oil which enhances the flavors in an onion, tomato, garlic and yogurt gravy.
• South Indian Dum Aloo - the potatoes are cooked with curry leaves, ginger in an onion tomato gravy.
• Mughlai Dum Aloo - the potatoes are cooked in an onion tomato gravy which is thickened with poppy seeds.
• Stuffed Dum Aloo - the potatoes are stuffed with paneer and cooked in an onion tomato gravy
• Punjabi Dum Aloo - this preparation is the restaurant style preparation, where the potatoes are cooked in an onion tomato gravy, ginger garlic gravy and thickened with either a cashew paste or cream. 

Our family favorite is the restaurant style Punjabi Dum Aloo. Making Dum Aloo in an Instant Pot is so much quicker than the traditional method, minus all the deep frying of potatoes. Thus today's recipe of Instant Pot Punjabi Dum Aloo :)

Why you will love Instant Pot Punjabi Dum Aloo

• quick and easy to make, compared to the conventional method.
• packed with flavors, aroma and the potatoes are cooked to perfection with thick creamy sauce.
• perfect for celebrating special occasions or to impress a crowd.
• potluck worthy, can be made ahead of time.
• pairs well the basmati rice or flatbreads.

Punjabi Dum Aloo Ingredients

Here is just a gist of the ingredients required. You can find the exact measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Potatoes - Preferably baby potatoes but if you can't find them, you can use any potatoes and cur them into wedges.
• For the Sauce - oil, water, salt, onions, tomato puree or sauce, ginger, garlic, table cream.
• Spices - cumin seeds, black cardamom, whole red chillies, turmeric, kashmiri red chilli powder (this gives it a nice red color minus the heat), coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric, fennel seeds, kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves).

How to make Instant Pot Punjabi Dum Aloo

Here is just a gist of the steps involved to make Dum Aloo. You can find the exact measurements of ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Step 1 : Prepare the ingredients - Wash and peel the potatoes. Chop the onions. You could also puree the tomatoes, but often if you don't cook the onion puree completely, it can leave a raw onion taste in the dish, thus I prefer to use chopped onions. If you are used to cooking onion puree in your Instant Pots, feel free to use it. Puree the tomatoes along with ginger and garlic. Grind the fennel seeds into a coarse powder.
• Step 2 : Saute - Using the Saute function on the Instant Pot, heat oil in the inner pot. Once the oil is hot, throw in the whole dry spices like cumin seeds, black cardamom and whole red chillies. Give it a stir. Add the onions, ginger and garlic and saute until golden brown. This takes about 3 minutes. Throw in the other spices, turmeric, kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, fennel seeds and the kasuri methi. Stir and cook the spices for a minute. Add the tomato puree, salt and cook until the oil separates.  This takes approximately 5 minutes. Deglaze the pot to remove any food particles stuck at the bottom of the pot.
• Step 3 : Blend into a sauce - Remove the black cardamom. You can also remove the whole red chilies if you want to reduce the heat of the dish, red chillies are optional. Add water and using a hand blender blend the onions and tomatoes into a smooth sauce. Deglaze the pot again. Skip this step if you have used an onion paste in step 1 instead of chopped onions.
• Step 4 : Pressure Cook -  Add the potatoes and mix them well into the sauce. Clove the lid and seal the vent. Pressure cook on 'HIGH' for about 6 minutes followed by a natural pressure release. 
• Step 5 : Garnish - Add in the cream and kasuri methi and gently mix them in making sure you don't break the potatoes the stirring. Dum Aloo is ready to be served with  basmati rice or flatbreads like naans or parathas. 

What kind of potatoes should I use for Dum Aloo

Preferably baby potatoes, but if you don't find them easily you can use any potatoes and cut them into wedges.

How to make Dum Aloo Vegan

You can replace the table cream for 2 tablespoon cashew paste or 1/2 cup coconut milk to make it vegan. Cashew paste will give it a more authentic flavors than coconut milk though.

How to meal-prep Dum Aloo for a party

If you are hosting a party or making this Instant Pot Dum Aloo for potluck, make it the previous day and refrigerate it. The gravy will thicken when you refrigerate it. You can add may be 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water and allow it to simmer on low heat for 10 minutes before serving.

What can I pair Dum Aloo with

It pairs perfectly with Indian Basmati Rice or an Indian flatbread like Naan , Roti or Paratha. 

For more Indian Vegetarian recipes, click here. Some of our favorite combinations to pair with Dum Aloo, Basmati Rice and Paratha are

• Kurkuri Bhindi (Crisy Okra) 
• Dal Makhani
• Dal Tadka
• Kadai Paneer

Continue to Content

Instant Pot Punjabi Dum Aloo Recipe

Yield: serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Instant Pot Punjabi Dum Aloo - A delicious & easy preparation of baby potatoes pressure cooked in a thick & creamy Indian Masala Sauce. Packed with aroma and flavors, makes a perfect dish when you want to wow someone. Special occasions, celebrations or potluck, you are sure to impress everyone with the flavors. Pars well with rice or flatbreads. Nut-Free. Gluten-Free. Vegan option included. Video Recipe

Print

Ingredients

• oil 2 tbsp
• baby potatoes 12, washed and peeled
• onion 1 1/2, chopped or paste
• tomatoes 3, pureed
• garlic cloves 5 
• ginger 1/2 inch, grated
• whole red chilies 2
• black cardamom 2
• cumin seeds 1 tsp
• turmeric 1/4 tsp
• kashmiri red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
• coriander powder 2 tsp
• garam masala 1 tsp
• fennel seeds powder 1 tsp
• dried kasuri methi 1 tbsp
• water 1 cup
• table cream 1/2 cup

Instructions

Step 1 : Prepare the ingredients - Wash and peel the potatoes. Chop the onions. You could also puree the tomatoes, but often if you don't cook the onion puree completely, it can leave a raw onion taste in the dish, thus I prefer to use chopped onions. If you are used to cooking onion puree in your Instant Pots, feel free to use it. Puree the tomatoes along with ginger and garlic. Grind the fennel seeds into a coarse powder.

Step 2 : Saute - Using the Saute function on the Instant Pot, heat oil in the inner pot. Once the oil is hot, throw in the whole dry spices like cumin seeds, black cardamom and whole red chillies. Give it a stir. Add the onions and saute until golden brown. This takes about 3 minutes. Throw in the other spices, turmeric, kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, fennel seeds and the kasuri methi. Stir and cook the spices for a minute. Add the tomato puree with ginger and garlic, salt and cook until the oil separates.  This takes approximately 5 minutes. Deglaze the pot to remove any food particles stuck at the bottom of the pot.

Step 3 : Blend into a sauce - Remove the black cardamom. You can also remove the whole red chilies if you want to reduce the heat of the dish, red chillies are optional. Add water and using a hand blender blend the onions and tomatoes into a smooth sauce. Deglaze the pot again. Skip this step if you have used an onion paste in step 1 instead of chopped onions.

Step 4 : Pressure Cook -  Add the potatoes and mix them well into the sauce. Clove the lid and seal the vent. Pressure cook on 'HIGH' for about 6 minutes followed by a natural pressure release. 

Step 5 : Garnish - Add in the cream and kasuri methi and gently mix them in making sure you don't break the potatoes the stirring. Dum Aloo is ready to be served with  basmati rice or flatbreads like naans or parathas. 

Notes

Vegan option included in post

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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