Banarasi Aloo

Ingredients

•         Baby potatoes – 8-10 nos.
•         Sliced onion –  1 large
•         Chopped tomatoes – 1 large
•         Ginger – 1 in chopped
•         Garlic – 4-5 cloves chopped
•         Black pepper corns – 4-6
•         Cloves – 4-5
•         Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
•         Caraway seeds – 1 tsp
•         Cinnamon stick – 1 in
•         Green cardamom – 3-4
•         Kashmiri red chilies – 4-6 (or more as required and make into paste)
•         Turmeric powder – 1 tbsp
•         Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
•         Saunf (Aniseed) – 1 tbsp
•         Cashew nuts – 8-10 (fried)
•         Kasuri methi – pinch
•         Fresh coriander – 1 bunch (stalks for gravy and leaves for garnish)
•         Oil for cooking – 2-3 tbsp
•         Butter – 2 tbsp
•         Thick cream – 3 tbsp
•         Salt to taste

Method

1. Peel baby potatoes, wash and dry on paper towel, pierce holes with fork and fry them till almost done (slightly golden brown on outside). Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a sauce pan and add ginger-garlic and sauté. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, black pepper corns, cloves, cardamom, aniseed and sauté.
3. Add sliced onion and sauté well. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, coriander stalks, red chili paste and mix well till onions are almost done and raw flavor of masala has gone. Add cashew nuts. Add salt.
4. Add tomatoes and cook well using little water (as necessary) till well cooked. Cover pot, stirring as required. Cool the mixture and blend into paste (not very fine, but smooth).
5. In the same pan add butter, caraway seeds and the above mixture. Keep on medium heat and bring to simmer. Keep gravy slightly thick adding water, if required.
6. Add potatoes and mix well till potatoes absorb the masala. Keep covered.
7. Taste for salt/spice (add red chili powder if required).
8. Add kasuri methi powder and mix.
9. Add cream and mix. Remove from heat and keep aside.
10. Garnish with coriander and cream.
11. Serve hot with rice/chapattis/phoolkas.
12. Bon appetite.