Mathura Ke Dubkiwaale Aloo & Bedmi Poori

I thought of posting recipes under the theme of 'combo meals' from an Indian perspective this week. A 'combo meal' in terms of Indian culinary context is not the same as the western one. Most of the Indian households prepare a well balanced meal on a daily basis and the menu typically do not imitate a restaurant one where combo meals and super sized beverages are served. If at all, the 'combo dishes' theme has to be applied for a typical lunch in Indian homes, it may consist of either a rice based item or a wheat / millet based flatbread and a spicy side dish / gravy to go with. Water is served and consumed commonly during any meal and most of the Indians do not feel the need of any extra beverage during meals. Tea may be served after a meal in northern parts where as coffee / teas are not expected after lunch in a southern household. They may go with a glass of salted butter milk if at all they feel the need of a beverage.


Today's combo meal is a puffed bread and a curry from northern India. The puffed bread is called bedmi poori or urad dal poori, where ground urad dal / black gram batter is added to the wheat flour while forming the dough for the bread. I had posted the recipe for pooris in April and the link is here. It is commonly served with a potato gravy called dubkiwaale aloo from Mathura, a holy city for Hindus.  I wish I had remembered to taste this curry at the city when I visited during one of my last trips to India but alas I did not.

The name 'dubkiwaale aloo' is in reference to the thin consistency of the spicy gravy, the word dubki being 'to swim' since the potato bits seem to be swimming in the gravy. The curry is quite simple one to prepare and uses no onion - garlic that are standard ingredients in most of the northern style curries. The cooked potato pieces are slightly mashed and they add body to the gravy. Also the spices can be adjusted to one's preference and the curry can be made more spicier or the opposite. I even added a little bit of chili powder but this curry was not hot to us. This aloo can be served with kachoris, pooris or parathas.

Ingredients:
2 large potatoes, cubed and boiled 
1 tbsp. ghee / oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
2 dried red chilles, broken into pieces
1 tsp. finely grated ginger (optional)
One large pinch of asafoetida powder
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. garam masla
1/2 tsp. dried mango powder / amchur powder
Salt to taste
Minced cilantro to garnish

Method:
* Heat ghee in a saute pan and add cumin, fenugreek seeds and red chillies. When the seeds start to brown, add ginger and red chillies. Saute for few seconds and add asafoetida, turmeric, garam masala, amchur and salt to taste. Saute them for few seconds and add the potatoes. 
* Coarsely mash the potatoes and add water. Check the flavor and adjust the seasonings if needed. 
* Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes for the flavors to mingle. 
* The quantity of water added must be enough to prepare a thin consistency gravy. If the curry appears to be dry during cooking, add extra water and continue to cook. 
* Turn off the stove and garnish with cilantro. 
* Serve hot with kachoris, pooris or rotis. 

This goes to Blogging marathon # 89, under the 'Combo dishes' theme. Check out the page here to read what other marathoners are cooking.

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