Kashmiri Dum Aloo (Whole Potatoes — Fennel-Yogurt Sauce)

Ingredients

• 800g baby potatoes (whole, skin on, similar size 40mm diameter)
• 300g full-fat yogurt
• 120g onion (minced fine)
• 80 ml ghee
• 40g ginger (minced fine)
• 25g garlic (minced)
• 20 green cardamom pods (bruised)
• 10 Tellicherry black peppercorns
• 8 clove buds
• 6 Kashmiri chillies (dried, deseeded, soaked 15 min in 80 ml water, blended smooth)
• 4 Indian bay leaves
• 1 mace blade
• 200 ml mutton or vegetable stock
• 10g fennel seeds (whole)
• 8g sea salt
• 3g turmeric powder
• 2g red chilli powder
• 30g fresh coriander (torn)
• 15g fresh mint (torn)
• 10g ginger (julienned thin, for garnish)

Method

1. 1
   Prick whole potatoes 3 times with fork; parboil in salted water 12 minutes (potatoes should be 70% tender); drain and set aside to cool slightly.
2. 2
   Blend soaked Kashmiri chillies with soaking water to smooth paste; strain through sieve, pressing solids; reserve 60 ml extract.
3. 3
   Heat ghee in heavy-bottomed pot over medium; add fennel seeds; bloom 30 seconds; add minced ginger and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. 4
   Add yogurt and Kashmiri chilli extract alternately in 4 additions, stirring continuously to emulsify; add turmeric and red chilli powder; simmer 2 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
5. 5
   Gently add parboiled potatoes; pour in stock; season with salt; bring to gentle simmer.
6. 6
   Add whole cardamom, black peppercorn, clove, mace, bay leaves; cover pot; reduce to lowest heat; braise 45 minutes, shaking pot gently every 15 minutes to ensure even sauce coating (potatoes should remain whole but tender throughout, not collapse).
7. 7
   Sauce should reduce to 150 ml and coat potatoes in thick, creamy gravy with deep pink-red colour from Kashmiri chillies.
8. 8
   Fold in fresh coriander and mint; taste and adjust salt; serve in warm bowl, garnished with julienned ginger and additional mint leaf; the fennel-yogurt base with whole potatoes is signature to this dish—no browning or crisping.