Stuffed Potatoes in Rich Creamy gravy...Corbett returns

Stuffed Potatoes in Rich Creamy gravy is the second dish from our Corbett trip…So just like Kurkuri Bhindi  I thought I would convert this to a non fry version and instead bake/roast the potatoes to crisp golden but me, being me got lazy in getting up and didn't have enough time left to bake the potatoes...will try that one soon, till then…

Bharwaan Aloo (Stuffed Potatoes in Rich Creamy gravy)

Ingredients:

For the Potatoes:

• Potatoes, 5-6
• Oil for deep frying

For the stuffing:

• Paneer/Indian Cottage cheese, crumbled or finely grated, 1 ½ cup
• Coriander leaves, 2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Garam Masala Powder, 1 tsp

For the gravy:

• Fried Onion Paste, thinly sliced fried onions shallow fried with a pinch of sugar & salt  on the lowest flame for 25-30 minutes till golden brown and then made into a paste, 1/3 cup
• Cashew Paste, Soak cashews in some warm water and then grind to a fine paste ( use either water or milk if u need to), should be a fairly thick paste and not too runny, 1/3 cup
• Plain Yogurt/Dahi, Whisked till smooth with a teaspoon of flour and 2 tsp of coriander powder, 1/3 cup
• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds, 1 tsp
• Green Chilies, very finely chopped, 3
• Ginger, pounded, 1 tbsp
• Cloves, 2
• Cinnamon stick, 1 inch piece
• Green cardamom, 1
• Turmeric, ¼  tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Water, about a cup or two, depending on the consistency of the gravy you want

Instructions:

Start heating oil in a pan for deep frying. 

Wash and peel the potatoes. Either cut them in half or just remove a little bit from the top ( like I have). With a scooper or back of the spoon,  scoop out the middle. I do this with raw potatoes as there are less chances of breaking them while scooping out – you can par boil them first if you are not a klutz like me in the kitchen. 

Deep fry in hot oil on medium low flame till potatoes are cooked and light golden brown. Drain and keep them aside.

Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, mix all the ingredients of stuffing  and stuff the potatoes till top.

To make the gravy, heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds followed by green chilies and ginger. Sauté  it on low heat for about a minute or so. 

Now add fried onion paste, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon & cardamom. 

Cook for a couple of minutes, remove from heat and add the cashew nut paste and yogurt. Mix thoroughly and put it back on the gas on low flame so that yogurt doesn't split ( the addition of flour, coriander powder and whisking was to help with that) . 

Keep on stirring  and frying till the paste starts leaving the side of the pan. 

Increase the heat to high, add water and let the gravy come to a boil.  Simmer till gravy reduces to the kind of consistency you want.  

When you want to serve, put the potatoes in the boiling gravy and cook for 5-10 minutes OR bake with the gravy in a hot oven at 200°C for 10- 15 minutes OR in the microwave oven for 4-5 minutes.

Notes:

• You can do a simple onion tomato gravy as an option and additionally add fresh cream in the end to make it slightly rich. 

• For the stuffing as well you can add boiled potatoes along with the cottage cheese and additionally add cashews or raisins.