Friday, June 18, 2010

Aloo Potol-er Dalna – Curried Potatoes and Parwal



Potol is a summer vegetable. Moving away from this Bengali name of the vegetable, you can know it as Parwal in Hindi and Pointed Gourd in English. Aloo Potol-er dalna is a common dish in our home and especially in most Bengali families. Cook it the simplest way or use more spices...up to you.

I always like to cook my curries in a simple way...mainly without onion and garlic. Mrs. B was surprised when I told her I don’t add onion and garlic in cooking this. She said, “Then how will the curry taste? And what about the gravy, do you use lots of tamatar?

I gave her a smile and said, “No tomatoes but simple everyday spices and all the juices and flavours mix together to give out the taste”.

“So you’ll cook and let me get the taste”.

“Of course, what’s the big deal about it?

She tasted the curry and liked it and said, “It tastes really good”.

Here comes my simple recipe.

All that is required:

Parwal: ½ kg

Aloo (potatoes): 4

Tej patta (bay leaves): 3-4

Garam Masala (home-made): ½ tsp

Jeera powder: 1 tsp

Dhania powder: ½ tsp

Lal mirch (red chilli) powder: ½ tsp

Haldi powder: 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar: As to your taste. Add ½ tsp if you don’t like to for the sugar adds colour to the curry and balances the taste with simple spices.

Cooking oil



                         The Potol or Parwal

Working time:

Now peel the skin of the potol and cut it into half. I don’t peel off all the skin. See in the picture.

Peel the potatoes and make 8 pieces from each one.



Wash the vegetables and set aside.

Put the dhania, jeera, lal mirch and haldi powder in a small bowl and soak it in some water.

Cooking Period:

Heat oil in a kadhai and as the smoke start rising put in the potol (parwal) pieces and fry till it starts changing colour. Don’t over fry. Take them out. The oil will take a black colour. Don’t throw it away.

Tip in the bay leaves and then the potatoes in the remaining oil. Stir occasionally as the frying process goes on for 4-5 minutes.

Now add the soaked spices and stir. Couple of minutes into this course of action, add the salt and sugar. The cooking process goes on, sometime on low flame and for a time on high flame. Cook till the oil starts separating from the masala. Add the fried parwal stir for a couple of minutes and then add sufficient water, sufficient for the type of gravy you want, and cook till the potatoes and parwal is cooked to be served. Add the garam masala, mix it well in the curry and pour into the serving bowl.



Serve with hot rice along with some dal. It can also be served with roti, paratha or luchi (puris).
Next the taste will speak.

18 comments:

  1. Sabji looks so tempting and delicious..nice clicks

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  2. Gouri di,

    I too make aloo potol r dalna without onion and garlic only but I do add tomato for little gravy. baki almost same preparation e banai. Ei patla jhol garom bhaat er shathe khetey darun lagbe...darun !!

    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  3. The recipe looks too good. Parwal is a very interesting veggie for me. I never saw it in India. I got introduced to it only after coming to Germany. I donno how to cook it. I just enjoyed it raw. Next time when I get it I will definitely try this :)

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  4. Never used this veggie b'4 luks delicious.

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  5. Never tried this before, have seen this but did not have a recipe...this looks delicious.thanks for sharing dear:)

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  6. Sabji looks very nice.I make this subji in a different manner.

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  7. OMG..aloo patol looks heavenly delicious..I hope I get this veggie sometime soon in indian grocery store...thanks for sharing this recipe Gouri...have a nice weekend and tk care!

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  8. alu patol amar sabsamay niramish i bhalo lage. ei tarkarite amar bhishon priyo. pregnancy te khali eta dieyi bhat khetam. ajkeo baniechilam lunch e. darun lagche dekhte,

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  9. I need to find out what pointed gourd is. Ive seen 2 great recipes in one day.

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  10. I simply love potol and this combo is mmm mouthwatering :-)

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  11. Thanks girls for stopping by...for the read and your lovely comments.

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  12. New one Gouri. Surely will try.

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  13. These are my fav veggies that i used to eat long ago...Here In US v r not getting them and im missing it a lot...nice to see such unique and tempting recipe frm u....nice one..

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  14. Potol gulo ki shundor...My Mum does it the same way, except that she adds ginger paste. And maybe some hing. :-)

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  15. Dear Didibhai
    How are you? Are you back from vacation?
    I cooked this one exactly as per your recipe and it was awesome...took me decades back....
    Waiting for your recipes and eagerly too with hata , khunti and Kadai ha ha
    Bhalo theko
    Ushnishda

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  16. Ushnishda,
    I'm back again. Thanks for trying this recipe and all the nice words.
    ...and now the bang and the clang of the kunthi, hata, kadai will be heard...
    all smiles :):):)
    I'll read all that I missed from your blog.
    Have a nice day,
    Gouri

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  17. Didi...apnar aloo patoler tarkari just nijeke samlate parchina...uff ki colour...aaro jive jal ana recipe gift korun amader...sei wish kori

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