Rinse 500 grams baby potatoes (20 to 22 nos) well. Remove the mud etc from them by scrubbing or brushing. You can also soak them in some warm water for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse them.

Take 3.5 cups water + ¼ tsp salt in a pan.

Add the potatoes.

On a medium to high flame boil the water, so that the potatoes are half cooked. About 9 to 10 minutes. You can even pressure cook the baby potatoes with 3 cups water for 1 whistle.

Drain them and allow to become warm or cool down at room temperature.

Peel the potatoes.

With a fork, toothpick or skewer, poke holes in the potatoes all over. This is done so that when cooking on dum, the potatoes absorb the flavors of the masala in which they are getting cooked. Halve them if they are big or you can keep them whole if they are small and then poke them.

Whisk 6 tablespoon fresh full fat curd or yogurt till smooth. Keep aside.

In a small bowl, take 3 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder and 2 tablespoon water.

Mix and stir well to get a smooth mixture.

In a pan heat ¾ cup mustard oil till it begins to smoke. Add the parboiled peeled baby potatoes and begin to fry them on a low to medium flame.

With a slotted spoon, turn them over while frying, when one side is golden.

Remove the baby potatoes which are golden and crisp with a slotted spoon. Fry them well or else they remain uncooked from the center.

Place them on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil. Fry all the baby potatoes till golden and crisp.

Lower the flame. Remove the extra oil and keep 2 tablespoon oil in the same pan. Let the oil temperature come down. In the same oil, add asafoetida powder. Stir well. You can also use 2 tablespoon of fresh mustard oil for the gravy.

Then add the red chilli + water solution and stir well. Be careful as the mixture splutters.

Now add the beaten curd.

As soon as you add the curd, with a spoon or wired whisk, stir continuously, so that the curd does not split. Add the curd on a low flame.

After adding curd, add water and continue to stir. Mix very well.

Then add 1 tablespoon fennel powder.

Add the whole spices – 1 teaspoon shah jeera, 1 inch cinnamon, 3 cloves, 1 black cardamom, 4 to 5 black peppers & 1 green cardamom (optional).

Add ½ tablespoon dry ginger powder. Stir well.

Now add the fried baby potatoes. Stir again. Season with salt. Mix well.

Cover the pan tightly with a lid. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes on a low to medium flame. Here we are cooking the baby potato gravy on dum.

The gravy should become thick. You can always add less or more water depending on how thick or thin you want the gravy. If you cook more, the gravy will reduce more. So depending on what you prefer, you can cook for less or more time.

Sprinkle some caraway seeds from top (optional) and Serve Kashmiri dum aloo hot with steamed basmati rice. The second-best option is to serve with Indian flatbreads like naan, roti or plain paratha.