Punjabi Aloo wadiyan or potato and sun dried lentil dumpling gravy. A delicacy for some and a routine for many.The punjabi aloo wadiyan is a recipe which still connects me to my roots.We make this once a week.The thick onion tomato gravy with the rich ,vibrant and deep red color and sun dried spicy gram dal lentil dumplings fried and dipped along with potatoes.Its truly desi and very close to the heart.
“A heirloom recipes”
It’s a regular in our house. And what’s more interesting is the curry recipe can be replicated for a lot of different varieties. I’ll just tell you about the variations later in this post. This is my mother’s recipe and I believe she is the only one who can do complete justice to the intense flavors this curry has. I learnt it from her, and made it not exactly but I guess 9 on 10.My Father is a die hard fan of Aloo wadiyan.But of course how and what my mother makes.Now,he was visiting and told me to make Aloo Wadiyan for lunch. I was excited and nervous, because cooking for him is serious stuff.
He is a food critic. He will accept the meal, only if the curry is up to the mark .Or else, look for your options. I definitely didn’t want to disappoint him. I have closely seen my mother cook these curries, so I knew how he likes it.Believe me you may have tasted many onion-tomato based gravies, but this recipe make it go just irresistible. And how did I do? Well he loved it and relished it.I was very happy. One this I love about cooking and blogging, it’s so enriching and satisfying like nothing else can.
When you cook so lovingly, and your guest love it and enjoy a second and a third serving. That feeling is incomparable. I am sure many or all of you can understand and agree with me on this. The Punjabi wadi you use also makes a huge difference and it can make or break the whole curry.You may even make them at home.They are fairly simple to make. But remember when you cook wadi, you should never overcook them. Or they will just dissolve in the curry completely. You don’t want that. As it should get soft but chunky. Big chunks taste very well and absorb the curry well.
Coming back to the variations you can have to the base curry are: mutton, dry mushrooms and kathal/Jackfruit curry , lauki wadi are some I have tried and loved.
- 2 aloo potato / big
- 2 urad lentil Urad sundried dumpling / Wadi
- 2 onions medium size
- 4 Tomatoes medium size
- 4 tbsps tomato puree
- 1 1/2 tbsps chopped garlic or paste
- 1 tbsp chopped ginger or paste
- 2 cardamom black /Moti illaichi
- 4 - 5 cardamom Green
- 1 tej bay leaves Patta /
- 1 tsp cumin seed jeera /
- 3 clove
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- to taste salt
- 1 tsp chillipowder mirch red /Degi
- 1 tsp garam masala five spice powder /
- 3 tbsps butter / ghee clarified /Desi
- 3 tbsps vegetable oil / canola oil
- 2 tsps coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- water as needed
- 1 green chilli slitted
- coriander leaves to garnish
- Preparation: wash the potatoes, peel the skin and cut the potatoes into 6 equal sized cubes. Crush the ginger garlic in a mortar and pestle or grind in the mixer. Peel the onions and grind to paste in a mixer. Now, puree the tomatoes in the mixer and keep aside.
- Cooking: heat oil and ghee in the pressure cooker and add black cardamom, green cardamom, Jeera, and cinnamon and onion paste. Cook on medium flame, keep stirring and cook till the onions turn dark brown. Please take care and not burn the onions. Now, add little water to avoid burning and add salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder. Cook till ghee seperates.Cook on simmer.
- Once the gee/oil separates then add the pureed tomatoes and the readymade tomato puree. Add the green chilli and cover and cook till oil seperates.Now,add the potatoes and Urad dal wadi/sundried lentil dumpling.
- Continue to cook on simmer for another 5 minutes. Keep stirring to avoid sticking at the bottom.
- Now, add xbd cup water or as per needed to match apt thickness of the curry and bring to one boil.
- Now, close the lid on the pressure cooker and cook till one whistle on simmer. After 1 whistle close the flame and let it sit till the pressure releases.
- Open the cooker, switch on the heat and add Garam masala and bring to one boil. Close the flame and transfer to the serving bowl. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
- Note: please remember, the wadi/dumpling too has chilies in it so be careful while adding the chilli powder and adjust according to your taste.
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