ALOO KURMA - ఆలుగడ్డ కుర్మా

ALOO KURMA - ఆలుగడ్డ కుర్మా 
 (POTAO CURRY WITH CARROT, BEANS AND SPICES)
ALOO KURMA - ఆలుగడ్డ కుర్మా


Aloo kurma goes well with both plain and bagara rice.
Ingredients:
  1. Potatoes - 3 (medium) 
  2. Onion - 1 medium
  3. Curry leaves - 6
  4. Coriander leaves
  5. White poppy seeds (Gasalu, khus khus) - 1 tbsp
  6. Coconut powder -  1 tbsp
  7. Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
  8. Salt
  9. Oil
  10. Red chlli powder - 1 tsp
  11. Green chilies - 3 (pieces)
  12. Turmeric powder -  1/4 tsp
  13. Beans - 4 strings
  14. Green Peas (Mutter) - 1/4 cup
  15. Carrot - 1/4 cup (small pieces)
  16. Tomato - 1 (small pieces)
  17. Whole garam masala - cloves 2, cardamom 1, cinnamon stick - 1/2 inch, sajeera - 1/4 tsp
  18. Garlic - 2 cloves
  19. Ginger - 1 inch (or you can take garlic ginger paste 1 tbsp)
Method:
  1. Dry fry poppy seeds and coconut powder.
  2. Grind them into a fine paste along with garlic, ginger and whole garam masala and by adding little amount of water.
  3. Pressure cook potatoes or boil them hot water till they become soft (not too soft).
  4. Remove skin and cut them into one inch sized cubes.
  5. Chop onion into small pieces.
  6. Heat oil in a cooking pan. 
  7. Add onion pieces.
  8. When they turn golden brown, add curry leaves, green chilies, beans and carrot pieces.
  9. Stir them all using a ladle.
  10. Cook them for 2 minutes.
  11. Add half cooked potato pieces.
  12. Add peas (mutter).
  13. Add turmeric powder, prepared paste and salt.
  14. Cook them all on low flame for few seconds. 
  15. Add finely chopped tomatoes to it with 1 cup of water.
  16. Cover pan with lid and leave it for 3 -4 mins.
  17. Add coriander powder and coriander leaves to cooked aloo kurma.
  18. Serve it hot with rice, palav, roti or puri.
COOKING AND STORING TIPS - POTATO/ALU
  1. Store potatoes with few garlic cloves to keep them fresh for more days.
  2. Do not store potatoes and onions together.
  3. Soak potato in salt water for 5 minutes to cook it fast.
  4. When boiling potatoes for cutlets add the salt to the water itself as potatoes absorbsalt better this way.
  5. Potatoes rot quickly if stored near onions therefore store them separately.
  6. Remedy for Salty Curry : Wash a potato. Cut into two. Place a the two halves of the raw potato in the curry and it will absorb the extra salt.
  7. Peel and cut potatoes and boil them in water to which a little vinegar is added. They will be done in no time and will retain the texture as well.
  8. To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
  9. If you have peeled extra potatoes, keep them dipped in water and store in the refrigerator. They will remain for a couple of days.
  10. Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.
  11. Stuffed veggies like bitter gourds and potatoes, etc can be stored in freezer bags, and thawed as required. Make sure to thaw completely before proceeding to cook it. Or else it will crumble easily.
  12. Always add salt to the water while boiling vegetables. This enhances their natural flavor and diminishes the need to add salt at the table.