Dum alu/whole potato curry

Dum alu is traditionally a kashmiri dish and very tasty and spicy. My kashmiri friend's mom used to make it and get it for us in the hostel when we were studying and we used to wipe it off our plates in just minutes!! Anyway, i tried to make it my own way thinking of the spices that aunty put in her authentic dum alu. The first time i made it, alu came out to be pretty hard but the second time, i got it right:-)
My husband liked it both the times!
Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

8-10 small potatoes
oil for frying

For the marinade:

1/2C yoghurt
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chili powder

For the curry:

2-3 red chilis
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp cashew nuts
2 -3 tomatoes
1 onion
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 inch ginger root
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
handful of cilantro
1C milk
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp garam masala
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil

Method:

1) Cover the potatoes with cling wrap individually and microwave them for about 3 minutes or until they come to a boil. You can also pressure cook them to boil them. I am boiling them because they use less oil for frying and i dont have to worry about them being totally cooked from inside.

2) Peel off the skin. In a deep pan, heat oil so that fumes start to come out. Meanwhile poke all the potatoes with fork at different places so that the oil and marinade seeps in.

3) Fry the potatoes until they turn golden brown from outside and a nice crust forms.

4) In a bowl, mix together, youghurt, salt, turmeric powder and chili powder. Drop in the fried potatoes and let them marinade for about half an hour or 45 mins until you see the yoghurt reduced to half.

5) Meanwhile in a separate bowl soak red chilis and coriander seeds in water for about hald na hour.

6) When they are soaked, they give a nice aroma together. In a grinder, add red chili , coriander, ginger , garlic, cilantro, onion, tomatoes, cashewnuts, fennel seeds and grind them together to form a paste.

7) In a pan, heat oil and add this paste. Cook it until it starts to leave oil. Add the milk and salt, turmeric powder, chili powder and garam masala. Also add the marinaded potatoes with rest of the curd. Cover and let it cook on low flame until the mik reduces and a thick curry forms.

8) Serve hot with naan or pulav.

Serves: 2-3

Tip: You can use less red chilis if you want it less spicy. I do the marinade to make the potatoes soft from inside and for the masala to go inside the potato. If not marinated they taste bland inside.