Baby potatoes are so cute and perfect for soaking up all the delicious flavors in this Bengali aloo dum. This choto aloo dum is a must-have at Bengali winter celebrations—so flavorful and festive. Once you have prepped and peeled those baby potatoes, rest is easy. Bring together a handful of basic Indian pantry ingredients and you have a vegetarian dum aloo. Pair it with luchi, and you have a match made in foodie heaven!

Mostly a winter delicacy when these baby potatoes are abundantly available, my niramish alur dum ranna recipe for these mini potatoes is a total charmer. I have had friends and family specially request this. And why not? After all, it has everything that is ever-charming, petite and spuds. Diet watchers, be aware. I am sure you won’t be able to keep track of your carbs with this recipe of alur dom.

Best kosha Bengali aloo dum using choto aloo or baby potatoes

Do you know what’s better than niramish aloo dum in Bengali style? It’s choto alur dum recipe made in niramish Bengali style! Serve it with some Bengali luchis (made with all-purpose flour and pristine white), and you have a winner’s dinner. This meal can give any meat, chicken, or fish meal and run for the money.

Please don’t trust me, ask any of your Bengali friends. They will swear by this evergreen and classic Bengali vegetarian recipe combination. Make some Cholar Dal and you will have a feast going.

For this recipe of Bengali aloo dum without onion and garlic, I have used my niramish alur dom er recipe where I use regular-sized potatoes. The only difference is the preparation of the baby potatoes for this recipe, the rest of everything remains the same. For greater ease, I will sum it up here in detail.

Ingredients to make choto alur dum

• Baby Potatoes – Boiled and Peeled
• Mustard Oil
• Tomatoes
• Ginger
• Powdered Spices like Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Red Chili Powder, Hing or Asafoetida
• Whole spices like Bay Leaf, Cumin Seeds
• Garam Masala Powder
• Fresh Coriander Leaves – for garnish – optional
• White Vinegar – optional

Recipe instructions to make niramish alur dum using choto alu or baby potatoes in Bengali style

Prepping the baby potatoes

• Pressure cook them or boil them in a pot of water with some salt till they are tender in the center. If you are using a pressure cooker, then be very careful. Since they are small, they cook very fast. Perhaps allow it to whistle 2-3 times and then turn off the heat.
  As the cooker depressurizes, open and check if the potatoes are done using a knife. If it passes through smoothly, it’s ok. Otherwise, let it whistle a couple more time
• Once done, take them out in a colander or sieve and allow them to cool down completely
• Next comes the most tedious job of peeling them. Get everybody involved, let this be a family activity if you are cooking with a bunch of small (but cute) potatoes.
• Once done, prick them using a fork. Since we will be cooking them whole, this would allow them to soak up all the flavors
• Heat some mustard oil in a non-stick pan and drop these boiled potatoes in. Cooking with mustard oil adds that signature Bengali punch—so aromatic and earthy! Sprinkle some turmeric powder and give them a good toss till they get a crispy texture on the outside. This would take somewhere around 15 minutes on medium heat. Once they are ready, take them out and keep them aside

Making the aloo dum

• Add some more oil (if needed) and temper it with asafoetida or hing, bay leaf, and cumin seeds. Allow the seeds to splutter on medium heat
• Meanwhile, dissolve the dry spices along with grated ginger and very little water to form a wet spice mix
• Add the tomato puree to the tempered oil and fry till it reduces and its water is gone 
• Season it with salt as per your taste and add the soaked spices. Fry it till everything is mixed well
• Add 1/2 cup water, and chopped green chilli along with the fried baby potatoes. Mix everything well. Let the spice mix coat the potatoes uniformly
• Add chopped coriander leaves. Mix everything well and reduce the water if you would like it dry or keep it just as it is. Finish with the vinegar before turning the heat off
• Serve it with luchis or paranthas

This niramish style of cooking Bengali alur dum is all about bold spices and comforting vibes. It may look fiery red and rich, but it is pretty light on the tummy as it includes absolutely bare minimum of spices. Coriander powder, hing or asafoetida, and coriander leaves, all these spices are quite known for their cooling effect on our bodies.

Serving suggestions

Choto Aloo Dum makes for the ultimate side dish when served with hot, crispy luchis. You can also add niramish cholar dal to the menu for a feast.

Rice lovers can enjoy this alur dom er recipe with some classic basanti pulao or niramish Bengali fried rice.

Pro tips for cooking

• Boiling the potatoes first will bring down the cooking time for aloo dum. However, if you are running low on time, you can peel them first and then add them to the prepared gravy and fry them a little bit before pressure cooking them for a couple of minutes
• Poke the potatoes a bit so that they soak up all the flavours of the gravy
• A pinch of hing along with the spices elevate the dish to perfection
• The nutty aroma of mustard oil is key to making authentic Bengali dishes like choto aloo dum
• You can adjust the gravy as per your preference. For luchis, it can be dryish but for rice-based dishes, you can make the gravy slightly runny

More potato recipes

• Bengali Classic Aloo Posto Recipe
• Phulkopir Chechki | Aloo Phulkopir Tarkari Recipe
• Aloo Chop Recipe | Bengali Potato Fritters
• Aloo Uchhe Jhal Recipe
  Jeera Aloo | Pan Roasted Potatoes Recipe
• Aloo Chorchori | Bengali Potato Stew Recipe
• Aloo Phulkopir Dalna | Bengali Cauliflower Curry Recipe
• Dahi Aloo | Potato in Yogurt Curry Recipe
• Aloo Peyaj Posto or Potatoes In Poppy Seed Gravy Recipe
• Aloor Jhal | Bengali Potato Curry Recipe

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This post was first published on September 17, 2020, and later republished on November 17, 2024, with a more elaborate description of the recipe.

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