Pur Bhora Alur Dum | পুরভরা আলুর দম

Ingredients

Method

1. 1Prepare the potatoes

   Peel 10 medium potatoes. Flatten one side slightly and carefully hollow them from the top, keeping around 4–5 mm of potato wall. Keep all the scooped potato pulp aside.

2. 2Parboil the potatoes

   Boil water with ½ tsp salt. Add the hollow potatoes and parboil for about 3–4 minutes. Drain and keep them inverted so excess water comes out.

3. 3Prepare the stuffing

   Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add all the potato pulp and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add Kashmiri chilli, cumin powder, turmeric and salt.

   Add 250 g homemade chhana, grated coconut, garam masala, sugar, chopped cashews and raisins. Mix well and cook until the stuffing becomes semi-dry, cohesive and easy to fill. Remove and cool completely.

4. 4Lightly fry the potato shells

   Heat 4 tbsp oil with a pinch of turmeric and salt. Lightly fry the hollow potatoes for about 2–3 minutes per side, until they become light reddish-golden. Do not make them dark or burnt.

5. 5Stuff the potatoes

   Fill each cooled potato with the prepared chhana stuffing. Press gently near the opening so the stuffing stays inside.

6. 6Prepare the spice slurry

   Mix cumin powder, Kashmiri chilli powder and turmeric with 3–4 tbsp water.

7. 7Prepare the gravy base

   Heat the pan and add the whole spices: bay leaf, dry red chilli, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Temper for about 30–40 seconds. Add the spice slurry and cook.

   Add tomato puree, green chilli paste and salt. Cook for about 4–5 minutes.

8. 8Add cashew paste

   Add the smooth cashew paste and cook until the gravy develops a slight oil sheen.

9. 9Add hot water

   Add approximately 1½ cups hot water. Mix and simmer until you get a smooth, creamy, medium-thick gravy.

10. 10Add the stuffed potatoes

    Place the stuffed potatoes gently into the gravy with the stuffing side facing UP. Cover and cook on low flame for about 5 minutes.

11. 11Final finishing

    Dry-roast the kasuri methi beforehand and crush it.

    On low flame, add sugar, garam masala, fresh cream and roasted crushed kasuri methi. Mix very gently without breaking the stuffed potatoes.

    Switch off the gas, cover and allow the dish to rest for about 5 minutes.

    Serve

    Serve warm with Radhaballabhi, Luchi or your favourite festive Bengali bread.

    Important: This is a Niramish, No Onion No Garlic recipe. It is not a strict Jain recipe because potatoes are used.