Wash the baby potatoes in running water 2-3 times and boil them in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle. Let the pressure drop. Take out the baby potatoes, run them in cold water and remove the skin. Keep aside.
In a bowl, soak the cashews along with the poppy seeds in some water for at least 20 mins. Prepare a smooth paste of it and keep aside.
In a nonstick pan, heat 2 teaspoon of oil and shallow fry/roast these bay potatoes until golden brown on all sides. Keep aside.
Prick the tomatoes all over and place them in a microwave safe bowl with some water and set them on high for 5-7 mins. The skin starts coming off once they are cooked well. After the tomatoes have cooled down, remove the skin and blend them smooth in a blender/mixer.
In a nonstick pan, heat 2 teaspoon of oil. Add jeera and let them splutter. Add the prepared tomato puree and mix well. As it starts boiling, add all the masala powders – red chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, saunf powder, dried ginger powder and turmeric powder.
Let this cook until all the powders are well absorbed and the gravy looks thick. Powder the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves in a mortar/pestle and add it to the gravy. Add thick curd to it and mix well. Cook it on low flame for 5 mins. Add required salt and a teaspoon of sugar.
When the gravy thickens again, add some water to bring it back to gravy consistency and add the cashew paste. Mix well. The gravy starts to thicken again. Keep stirring constantly. When the gravy thickens enough, add kasoor methi/dried fenugreek leaves – mix well. Add the roasted baby potatoes – mix well.
Serve hot with roti/flat bread/pulav/plain basmati rice.
Notes
The baby potatoes can be cooked in a pan as well, with enough water. The potatoes should be not be boiled too much – should be firm.
Instead of baby potatoes, normal potatoes can be used. Dice them into squares before roasting.
Instead of roasting the potatoes in 2 teaspoon of oil, they can be deep fried as well. Saves time when you are in a hurry.
To make a version with onion, just boil or fry some onions and puree them along with tomatoes. Ginger Garlic Paste can be added after the jeera splutters.
As this gravy has tomato as well as curd which can turn the gravy a bit sour, adding a teaspoon of sugar helps cut through the sourness.