TANDOORI ALOO (Dry, stuffed Potato curry ) 

INTRODUCTION

INGREDIENTS

Mention of Punjab Cuisine, conjures up two things in our minds. First is Shanja Chulha (community oven) and Tandoor. I have been a witness to this cooking in Delhi and Punjab.Roasted rotis, chicken and different foods in Tandoor have a taste of their own. Even though the cooking method in Tandoor (putting ones hands in hot Tandoor) is not for the soft handed people, the robust life style of Punjabis, makes this task look simple. 
Today , I am requested to give you a recipe of Tandoori Aloo made in Tandoori style but more suitable for the urban cooking methods. 
So my recipe for TANDOORI ALOO will be using, Oven or simple Gas stove, whichever you are comfortable with. 
Tandoori Aloo with spicy stuffing and without stuffing can be prepared. But I will be posting the recipe with stuffing. 
Tandoori Aloo are best enjoyed with Rotis/Parathas and Curds. 
 

(2 Helpings for a family of four)
Potatoes 16/20 nos (1.5 TO    2" SIZED) 

FOR THE STUFFING 
Kothumalli 1/2 cup 
Green Chillies 2 to 3 nos 
Onion paste 1/2 cup 
   (water squeezed out) 
Garam Masala 3/4 spoon 
Chilli powder 1/2 spoon 
Dhaniya +Jeera powders 1 +   1/2 spoons each. 
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon 
Lime Juice or Amchoor to taste
Sugar Just a hint 
Salt to taste 
Oil for frying 400 ml 

TEMPERING 
Oil/Ghee 2 ladles 
Mustard 1/2 spoon 
Jeera 1 spoon 
Cloves 3 to 4 nos 
Kalaunji (Onion Seeds) optional 1/4 spoon 

METHOD OF PREPARATION

Select medium sized baby potatoes of no more than one and half to two inches in diameter. Wash and pressure cook in a pressure pan till 3/4 cooked . Remove the pan from fire and peel the potatoes after they are slightly cold. If you let them cool fully, you will not be able to remove the skin easily. Take about half a spoon of salt and a little turmeric and smear the potatoes with them properly and set aside to dry any excess moisture from surface. 
Take 400 ml of oil in a Kadai and deep fry the potatoes till the skin becomes golden yellow. Let the fried potatoes become cold. 

Prepare pastes of onion and squeeze out water and set aside, also make paste of Green chilli and Kothumalli and set aside. 
Prepare all the dry spices and arrange in a dish. Also keep all the tempering spices handy along with them. 
Mix pastes of onion, kothumalli and chillies, and all the spices powders in a large cup. Now add a ladleful of oil and salt, Amchur/lemon juice and sugar and make a fine mixture. The doughy stuffing is ready. Taste for salt now. A little extra salt always helps when you are stuffing potatoes. 
Now carefully make a large slit in each potato and carefully stuff with spicy filling. 
If by chance, you have over fried the potatoes and they start breaking when you are slitting, make an acute cut and remove a small portion of potato so that you have enough space to fill it. 
In such a case, you will have to use a baking oven/Micro to give the final cooking treatment instead of shallow frying. 

BROWNING PROCESS 

Take a spoon of oil/Ghee in a flat pan , heat it a little. Now arrange the stuffed potatoes in the pan carefully and 
Neatly, taking care not to spill the stuffing out. Take oil/Ghee in a different tempering ladle and add the tempering spices like jeera cloves mustard etc. When mustard starts to crackle, pour the tempering over potatoes. Cover the vessel. Let the potatoes get slightly browned. Turn them over from time to time. This process should take about further 15 minutes. But remember to use low flame only. 
Second method to Brown is using preheated oven .Set it to medium and bake for further five to six minutes. 
Your Stuffed Tandoori Potatoes are ready !! 
Enjoy with Rotis or parathas, also with fresh curds. 
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Enjoy!!! 

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