Aloo Tikka Masala

Wash the potatoes and place in pressure cooker with water. Cook for one whistle (or two if the potatoes are bigger). Let the pressure drop by itself. Check and see if the potatoes are cooked (do not overcook them).

Once the potatoes are cool, peel and keep aside.

To prepare the marinade for the potatoes: In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, besan, red chili powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt to taste and mix well.

Stir in the peeled potatoes and gently mix to coat them evenly. Cover and keep aside to marinate for at least half an hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the gravy: In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add the dry spices (cloves, cardamom and cinnamon) and sauté for a few seconds till they release an aroma.

Tip in the onions and green chilies along with a little bit of salt and sauté for a few minutes till the onions are soft. Stir in the spice powders (coriander powder and chili powder) and mix well.

Add the tomatoes and cashews and fry for a few minutes till the tomatoes are slightly soft. Stir in a few tablespoons of water, mix well and cook covered for a few minutes till the tomatoes are soft and the spices are well incorporated.

Remove from flame and let cool. When cool, place in a blender container and add ¼ cup of yogurt. Blend well to a fine paste.

Now, let us make the aloo/potato tikkas: In a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of ghee. Once it becomes hot, add the marinated potatoes and keep stirring on high for about 1 minute.

Reduce the heat to medium low, and keep sautéing the potatoes for a few minutes, stirring often till the potatoes are cooked well and begin to get brown and crispy all over. Once the potato tikkas are ready, remove from flame and keep aside.

To prepare the gravy: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Once it becomes hot, add the jeera and hing and stir for a few seconds.

Add the tomato puree and sauté for a few seconds on high. Stir in the blended tomato-onion puree, chilli powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, sugar and salt to taste; mix well. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add some water (about ½ to 1 cup depending upon how thick or thin you want your gravy). Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, stir in the aloo tikkas and mix gently.

Bring to a boil, simmer for about 2 minutes, check for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Remove from flame and serve hot, garnished with crushed dried fenugreek leaves (or coriander leaves).