Kashmiri Authentic dum aloo

Ingredients

1. 4 medium equal sized potatoes
2. 2 teaspoon curd
3. Mustard oil - generous amount for deep frying
4. tejjpatta - bay leaf - 2 (refer pic below - naming spices clockwise in pic)
5. Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon
6. Jeera - Cumin - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Badi Ilachi - Black Cardamom - 2 slightly crushed 
8. Laung - cloves - 2
9. Choti ilachi - Green Cardamom - 2 crush slightly
10. Dalchicni- Cinnamon - 1 stick
11. Shahi Jeera - Black Cumin - 1 teaspoon
12. Sonth - dry ginger powder - 1/2 teaspoon
13. Salt to taste ( 2 teaspoon - adjust later)
14. Chakra Phool - Star anise - 1 (optional)
15. Kali Mirch - Black pepper - 6 pods
16. Heeng - asfodeta - 1 pinch
17. Kashmiri red chilli powder - 4 teaspoon - Use only this one for authentic colour
18. Souf powder - Fennel powder - 1.5 teaspoon

Step 1

1. Pressure cook whole potatoes to 2 whistles only
2. Let them cool down 
3. Remove skin with hand
4. Prick with a toothpick

Step 2

1. Heat lots of mustard oil in a kadai , cook oil to its smoking point
2. Now lower the heat and deep fry potatoes
3. Potatoes should be submerged on oil
4. Once they turn golden brown remove from oil in a separate bowl

Step 3

1. Remove excess oil from kadai \ pan
2. Just use 4 tablespoon full of oil from this oil
3. Add all whole spices to this oil
4. Cook for 1 minute
5. Mix Kashmiri chilli powder in 3 teaspoon water and add this mix to pan
6. Now add 1 tablespoon curd
7. Mix everything well and keep stirring continuously till oil separates
8. Ensure Spices don't get burnt
9. Add 2 glasses of warm water
10. Add Fried potatoes
11. Now add powdered spices and salt
12. Cover and let it cook for 20 min till all the spices are absorbed by potatoes
13. Or You can even pressure cook this to 1 whistle(only 1) at this stage
14. Adjust salt
15. Simmer till very little gravy remains and oil floats on top
16. Enjoy Yummy Curry with steamed rice

All Yakhin - Lauki ki yakhni - bottle-gourd in curd based gravy

Ingredients

1. bottle gourd 500 grams peeled and sliced
2. curd 150 grams
3. shahi jeera 1 teaspoon
4. salt to taste
5. mustard oil - any oil is fine but kashmiri cuisine tastes best in mustard oil
6. Fennel powder - saunf powder 1 tablespoon

Method

1. Deep fry sliced bottle gourd in mustard oil ( ensure you heat mustard oil first to smoking point)
2. Remove extra oil from the pan just use 1 tablespoon of oil
3. To this add shahi jeera 
4. Now add fennel powder
5. Cook for 1 minute
6. Add Curd and keep stirring continuously till it starts boiling
7. Add fried slices of lauki
8. Add salt 
9. Let it cook till slices absorb gravy
10. Enjoy with steamed rice :)