Dahi ke Aloo (Potato and Yogurt Soup)

Potatoes cooked in a creamy and tangy yogurt sauce

Dahi ke Aloo/Dahi waale Aloo/Dahi Aloo  is a popular curry in North India. Boiled and mashed potatoes are cooked in a creamy and tangy yogurt sauce with basic spices. It is a very simple and easy to cook dish as very few spices are needed to make this delicious curry. Dahi ke Aloo  can be served with Rotis and Parathas, but in Uttar Pradesh it is usually served with Methi Bajra Poori, Kachori  or Bedvi Pooris.

You can also serve this as a fasting food/vrat ka khana, in which case you may substitute chili powder with black pepper powder if you avoid eating chili powder during fasting. You may also serve this with Kuttu poori,  Rajgiri Poori  or with Sabudana Thalipeeth.

Preparation time-15 minutes
Cooking time-10 minutes
Course - Main Course
Cuisine-North Indian
Serves-4

INGREDIENTS-

• Boiled potatoes-4(medium)
• Yogurt/curd-1 cup
• Green chilies, slit lengthwise-4
• Chili powder-1 tsp
• Coriander powder- 3/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
• Ginger, grated- 1/2 tsp
• Salt- to taste

Tempering-

• Cooking oil-3 tbsp
• Bay leaves- 2
• Whole red chilies-4
• Cumin seeds/jeera- 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds/rai-1/3 tsp
• Fennel seeds/saunf- 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida- 1/3 tsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Take boiled potatoes in a bowl and roughly mash them(don't make a paste )
2. Heat oil ( or use half ghee and half oil if you wish) in a pan.
3. Add the tempering ingredients ,when seeds start crackling ,add slit green chilies and saute for a few seconds.
4. Remove the pan from the flame and add all the powdered spices(turmeric,chili powder,coriander powder)
5. Immediately add boiled potatoes and ginger and mix.
6. Put the pan on the gas and add beaten yogurt and stir once.(see the tips)
7. Add approx 1.5  to 2 cups of water (depends on how thick curry you prefer)
8. Now add salt and let it boil on medium flame .
9. Keep stirring in between to avoid curdling.
10. Cook for approx 3-4 minutes on medium flame.
11. When it starts to thicken then add chopped fresh coriander
12. Serve hot.

Tip-
1-To avoid curdling of yogurt in the curry-use chilled yogurt and beat it well ,remove the pan from the flame while adding the curd,keep stirring the curry while cooking for approx 2-3 minutes after adding the curd.
2- You may also add 1 tsp gram flour/besan or refined flour/maida in the yogurt to avoid curdling.
3-Add a piece of mango pickle at step -9  for a tangy flavour.
4- You can make the curry with either fresh or slightly sour curd,depending on your choice and can add 1/2 to 1 tsp of  lemon juice if using fresh yogurt.