Potoler Dolma Recipe / Bengali Style Stuffed Pointed Gourd Curry

Potoler Dolma Recipe / Bengali Style Stuffed Pointed Gourd Curry

          Pointed Gourd/Parwal is called 'Potol' in Bengali and 'Dolma/Dorma' means a stuffed vegetable. This Bengali delicacy is usually made using prawns or fish. But in this vegetarian and low calorie version of the Potoler Dolma, the potol/parwal is stuffed with Indian Cottage Cheese and dry fruits. The stuffed potol is shallow fried instead of deep frying and is tossed in a tangy and spicy tomato-cashewnut gravy.

         Potoler Dolma is a wholesome and delicious dish that can be served along with phulkas or rotis. They can be also served with hot rice. Add a dollop of ghee to rice and enjoy this dish.

Bengali Style Stuffed Pointed Gourd Curry

Cuisine: Bengali Recipes

Course: Lunch 

Diet: Vegetarian 

Ingredients:

• 6 to 7 Pointed gourd (Parval),peeled and slit on the side and deseeded
• 15 Cashew nuts,soak in warm water for 15 minutes and grind to make a thick paste
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
• 2 tablespoons Mustard oil
• Salt, to taste

For the filling:

• 100 grams Paneer (Homemade Cottage Cheese),grated or crumbled
• 2 Dried Figs,finely chopped
• 2 Dates,finely chopped
• 5 Badam (Almond),blanched, peeled and chopped
• 5 Pistachios, finely chopped
• 10 Raisins
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• pinch Salt

For the gravy (to be chopped and processed):

• 2 Onions
• 2 Tomatoes
• 2 Green Chillies
• 1/2 inch Ginger

For garnish:

• Few sprig Coriander (Dhania) Leaves, finely chopped

Preparation:

1. To begin making the Potoler Dolma recipe, heat 2 cups of water and when it starts to boil, add the peeled and deseeded parwal.
2. Let it boil for 3-4 minutes only. Drain the water and pat dry the par boiled parwal and set it aside.
3. Grind all the ingredients given under 'for the gravy' into a puree in a grinder and set it aside.
4. In a bowl, add the crumbled paneer, dry fruits, sugar, salt and mix well.
5. Stuff all the parboiled parwal carefully without breaking it.
6. You can tie the stuffed parwal with a thread if you are going to deep fry them.
7. Heat oil in a wide pan and shallow fry the stuffed parwal over low flame till they are uniformly browned on all sides.
8. Remove them and set it aside.
9. Heat the same pan with the remaining oil ( residue) and temper with cumin seeds.
10. Add the ground tomato onion puree, salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, all spice powder and cook over low flame till the oil separates on the sides of the pan.
11. Stir in the cashew nut paste and mix well.
12. Now, add the shallow fried stuffed parwal and cook covered for just 2-3 minutes and switch off.
13. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and serve hot. Potoler Dolma is a wholesome and delicious dish that can be served along with phulkas or rotis. They can be also served with hot rice. Add a dollop of ghee to rice and enjoy this dish.

                                                                                                                                          EnjoyFood!