Dum Aloo – A north Indian curry made with baby potatoes simmered in onion and tomato based gravy, spiced beautifully with turmeric, red chili pepper, garam masala and a hint of dried fenugreek leaves!
My mom’s signature recipe, that I grew up eating is a combination of perfectly cooked semi-stuffed potatoes, slow-cooked in smooth, aromatic and creamy sauce.
I make it frequently in my Instant Pot for a quick, delicious and authentic Indian meal. I truly believe it is the hint of homemade garam masala and dried fenugreek leaves that gives this dish that magic touch. Yes, another creamy, restaurant-style Indian curry with a swirl of cashew paste added in the end!
I have made this dum aloo so many times that I am declaring this a no-fail dum aloo recipe. Here are few tips, tricks and shortcuts:
- You can buy red or yellow baby potatoes, available in most grocery stores. Mix of 2 also works well.
- Coring baby potatoes is optional. I know that is the most tedious step in this recipe, so go ahead and skip coring potatoes. It will be still delicious I promise!
- If you do not find baby potatoes, use Yukon gold or Russet potates, peel and cut into big 2 inch pieces.
- To make Vegan Dum Aloo simply substitute ghee with cooking oil and soak cashews in water instead of milk.
- Adjust the garam masala and Kashmiri red chili powder to make the dish more or less spicy
- Use heavy cream instead of cashew cream if you are allergic to nuts
- Dried fenugreek leaves are not same as fenugreek seeds. So simply skip if you do not have them
Step by Step recipe for Dum Aloo in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker:
- Peel and core the potatoes. Reserve the cored bits of potatoes as it will be added to the sauce later.
- Soak cashews in warm milk for 10 minutes and set aside. Blend together to make smooth paste and reserve. Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and heat add ghee. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes with a glass lid on, stirring few times. Add ginger and garlic paste, cook for 30 seconds (photos 1 – 2).
- Add the carved out pieces from the potatoes. Add tomato puree, turmeric, red chili powder, garam, masala and salt. Cook everything on saute mode for 2 minutes with glass lid on, stirring a couple of times. With a small spoon, very carefully, as the gravy will be hot, fill the potatoes with the cooked masala/gravy and line them all in the IP insert. Add ½ cup of water. Close the Instant Pot, set on manual/pressure cook(Hi) for 8 minutes followed by Quick Release (photos 3 – 4).
- Open the Instant Pot and stir in dried fenugreek leaves, cashew paste and chopped cilantro. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and mix everything together. Add salt to taste. Bring to gentle boil and then turn the Instant Pot off. Serve with hot parathas (photos 5 – 6).
As always, you can adjust the red chili powder and garam masala to make this dish more or less spicy.
Enjoy with homemade whole wheat parathas, kale parathas, cabbage parathas, methi thepla or naan. For a gluten-free meal serve with steamed rice, brown rice or veg biryani.
If you have enjoyed my palak paneer, butter chicken and aloo gobhi recipes, I would say make recipe today and you will be obsessed!
★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.
- 10 baby potatoes peeled and cored from the top (save the carved out potato pieces)
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger grated
- 2 teaspoons garlic grated
- 2 ripe red tomatoes pureed
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ -1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder or any other mild red chili powder
- ½ -1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8-10 cashews
- ¼ cup warm milk
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
- Cilantro leaves chopped for garnish
Soak cashews in warm milk for 10 mins and set aside. Blend together to make smooth paste and reserve.
Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and heat add ghee. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes with a glass lid on, stirring few times. Add ginger and garlic paste, cook for 30 seconds.
Add the carved out pieces from the potatoes. Add tomato puree, turmeric, red chili powder, garam, masala and salt. Cook everything on saute mode for 2 minutes with glass lid on, stirring a couple of times.
With a small spoon, very carefully, as the gravy will be hot, fill the potatoes with the cooked masala/gravy and line them all in the IP insert. Add ½ cup of water. Close the Instant Pot, set on manual/pressure cook(Hi) for 8 minutes followed by Quick Release.
Stir in dried fenugreek leaves, cashew paste and chopped cilantro. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and mix everything together. Add salt to taste. Bring to gentle boil and then turn the Instant Pot off. Serve with hot parathas.
Recipe Video
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Author: Archana
Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
Anjali says
What is I only want to boil the baby potatoes by itself in the instant pot. WHat are the instructions for that? How many minutes to pressure cook it? Thank you so much!
Archana says
Add 1 cup water in the main pot. Then place the trivet and put potatoes over the trivet. Depending on the size 6 to 8 mins of pressure cooking with natural pressure release will work.
Sb says
It turned out awesome! I made a larger qty and I was careful to add the cashew paste later.Didnt burn thankfully and came out amazing..thank you so much!!!!
Archana says
Yes cashew paste always in the end. So glad you enjoyed the flavors
Alexandra T Hoover says
I made this with some garlic naan for dinner for my husband and I tonight. I am so skeptical eating out for Indian and was even more skeptical making Indian food at home as I have traveled to India many times and wanted an authentic recipe. I must say it tasted just like in India. I doubled the recipe and cooked in a normal pot until potatoes were nice and soft. My cashew puree was not very smooth, but it still blended in nicely, and the developed well with normal Chile powder and the absence of fenugreek. I will definitely add this to my cookbook. I was thoroughly impressed
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback! I am so glad you enjoyed it
Pratik says
Make Tasty Dum Aloos At Home Easily
Dum Aloo or Alu Dum is a potato-based dish, it is a part of the traditional Kashmiri Pandit cuisine, from the Kashmir Valley, in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Find the recipe in the link below:
https://wrytin.com/chefkunal/make-tasty-dum-aloos-at-home-vegan-recipes-jqm5nbzr
Fa says
Great recipe! Just made it and it’s delicious and so easy to make.
Thank you for posting.
LP says
I made Dum Aloo tonight and it’s a keeper! I’ve tried other potato curry recipes previously and none were particularly flavourful but this was delicious and cooking the potatoes in the instant pot is great because the potatoes are perfectly cooked yet don’t start to break down as they would if cooking conventionally. Thank you!
Archana says
You are most welcome! Thank you for the feedback
Shu Datla says
This has become my recipe anytime guests come !! And it’s a hit
Archana says
Thank you for your lovely feedback 🙂
Tristanne says
Should I use raw or roasted cashews? Thanks!
Archana says
raw cashwes preferably but roasted ones will work in a pinch. Just make sure to adjust the salt if used salted roasted.
Pallavi P says
Dear Archana,
My family loved this recipe..My husband who is not a fan of potatoes (other than typical maharashtrian batata bhaji) also loved it. In short of time, i could not make little holes but still turned awsum.
Thank you ,
Pallavi P
Archana says
Thank you Pallavi, this is a no-fail recipe and I agree if you do not have time to core them it will still work 🙂
Tamanna Kanoria says
Hi, what is IP? Will a pressure cooker work instead of an IP? Or can we use boiled potatoes instead of raw potatoes if we don’t have an IP?
Archana says
Instant Pot is a pressure cooker. Instead of using boiled potatoes you can make this dish on stove top. Simply cook until potatoes are tender
Tamanna Kanoria says
Hi Archana, can i make this in a regular pressure cooker?
Archana says
yes you can 🙂
Krupa Patel says
I made this for the first time and served to my family! Was soooo delicious! Everyone really enjoyed it and I thoroughly loved the restaurant style curry! Thanks sooo much for sharing!
Archana says
Thank you for your lovely feedback!
Seema says
Can i substitute cashews with almonds?
Archana says
yes that will work.
Pari says
This is one of our family favorites, thanks for such an easy yet flavorful recipe Archana 🙂
Misty says
This is for real a no fail recipe.. didn’t do the coring step (way too much work.. lol).. it was still the bomb.. and so simple. Thank you!! Young and old loved it. Feels like I’ve added cream and butter to it but its the cashew paste making it so creamy and yummy!
Archana says
Thank you for your lovely feedback!
Conrad Cham says
If I am using canned tomato puree, how many cups should I use for “two ripe red tomatoes pureed”? Thank you. PS. It turned out great the first time.
Archana says
Thank you for your feedback! Use 3/4 cup.