Tel Potol (Parwal / Pointed Gourd Curry - Bong Style)

 

              This is a traditional Bengali recipe where the parwal is cooked in a yummy gravy. 'Tel' means oil and 'Potol' means parwal / pointed gourd in the local lingo. I have no idea from where the name has come. But it sure tastes just awesome. A drizzle of some raw mustard oil to the end product gives a nice pungent aroma to the dish. 

          All parwal lovers will simply love this delicious seasonal dish. For a pure veg. version, you can skip the garlic. It particularly goes well with hot steamed rice, but there is no harm in relishing it with roti / chapatti. So give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy.

• 6-7 Parwal / Pointed gourd
• 3-4 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 green chilies
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. mustard oil to garnish
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Scrape the Parwal and make a cross slit on both sides. Marinate with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 5-10 minutes. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil and fry the parwals till light brown. Keep aside. 

          Grind the nigella seeds, mustard, 1 tsp. cumin seeds, green chilies, ginger and garlic to a fine paste by adding some water. Keep aside.

          Heat remaining oil and temper with the remaining cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the ground paste and turmeric powder. Fry on a medium flame till the oil separates.

          Now add the fried parwals, salt and 1 cup water. Cover and cook on a low to medium flame for 8-10 minutes or till they turn tender. 

          When done, add the raw mustard oil and coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice or chapattis for a great weekend lunch with your loved ones. 

Scrape the Parwal & make a cross slit on both sides. Marinate with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder for 5-10 minutes. 

        Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry the parwals till light brown. Keep aside. 

Grind the nigella seeds, celery seeds, mustard, 1 tsp. cumin seeds, green chilies, ginger and garlic to a fine paste by adding some water. Keep aside.

Heat remaining oil & temper with the remaining cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

Add the ground paste & turmeric powder. Fry on a medium flame till the oil separates.

                       Now add the fried parwals, salt ....

and 1 cup water. Cover & cook on a low to medium flame for 8-10 minutes or till they turn tender. 

                      When done, add the raw mustard oil .....

                       and coriander leaves.

Serve with hot steamed rice or chapattis for a great weekend lunch with your loved ones. 

Echorer Muri Ghonto (Green Jackfruit Cooked with Basmati Rice - Bong Style)

 

            Muri Ghonto or Fish Head Curry is a traditional Bengali cuisine prepared with fish head, some soaked rice along with some spices into a thick gravy. The quantity of rice can be adjusted according to individual preference. It can be made into a curry form or a pulao.

          But here is a vegetarian version of the said dish with raw / green jackfruit. This is a very good combination and it also goes by the name of Chaal Echore or Echorer Pulao, where the rice happens to be the predominant ingredient. You can also add some fried prawns in this recipe for a non-veg. variation.

              If making a pulao increase the quantity of rice and cook it in ghee. Traditionally, it is prepared with a local variety of rice called Gobindo Bhog, but in the absence of it you can make use of Basmati rice. Echorer Muri Ghonto can be enjoyed with either rice or chapattis. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Bong delicacy.

• 1 small Echore (raw jackfruit), cubed
• 1/2 cup green peas (I used frozen ones)
• 1 potato, cubed
• 1/4 cup Gobindobhog / Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes.
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves to garnish

           Pressure cook the raw jackfruit for one whistle. Keep aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the potatoes to light brown in colour. Drain and keep aside. 

          Add another tbsp. oil and sauté the boiled jackfruit for 2-3 minutes.  

          Heat remaining oil and temper with dry red chili, cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.

          Add the onion and sauté till light brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté on medium flame till oil separates. 

          Add the chopped tomato and continue to stir fry till it is mashed nicely. 

    

          Now add the soaked rice and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Then add the sautéed jackfruit, green peas, fried potatoes, slit green chilies and 2 cups water.

          Cover and simmer till the potatoes and rice are done and the gravy is thick to a desired consistency. 

          Switch off the flame. Add ghee, garam masala powder and coriander leaves. Mix well and keep it covered for a couple of minutes. 

          Then serve with hot steamed rice, luchi (poori), chapatti or paratha.

                                  Pressure cook the raw jackfruit for one whistle.

                              Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry the potatoes to light brown. Keep aside. 

                            Add another tbsp. oil & sauté the boiled jackfruit for 2-3 minutes.  

                      Heat remaining oil & temper with dry red chili, cumin seeds, bay 

                         leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.

                                 Add the onion and sauté till light brown. 

                       Add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup

                        water. Sauté on medium flame till oil separates. 

                             Add the chopped tomato & stir fry till it is mashed nicely. 

                            Add the soaked rice & sauté for 2 minutes.

                       Add boiled jackfruit, green peas, fried potatoes, slit green chilies .....

                          .... and 2 cups water. Cover & simmer till the potatoes & rice are done

                          & the gravy is thick to a desired consistency. 

                       Switch off the flame. Add ghee, garam masala powder & coriander 

                                leaves. Mix well & keep it covered for a couple of minutes. 

                                  Serve with hot steamed rice or chapatti / paratha.

Potoler Tel Jhal (Parwal / Pointed Gourd Curry - Bong Style)

          This is a traditional Bengali recipe where the parwal is cooked in a simple curry form. 'Tel' means oil and 'Potol' means parwal / pointed gourd in the local lingo. I have no idea where the name has come from. But it sure tastes really yummy though it is cooked in a lot of oil. It is a very easy recipe with minimum effort but with maximum flavor.

          All parwal lovers will simply love this yummy dish. It particularly goes well with hot steamed rice, but there is no harm in relishing it with roti / chapati. So give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this awesome regional delicacy.

• 8-10 Parwal / pointed gourd
• 3-4 tbsp. mustard oil 
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds 
• 2 dry red chilies
• 4 green chilies
• 1" ginger
• 1 tomato, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp. mustard oil to garnish
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

           Blend 2 green chilies, ginger and tomatoes to a fine paste without adding any water. Keep aside.

           Scrape the Parwals and slit them slightly from both ends slightly. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the Parwals till light brown. Drain and keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and sauté the kalonji and dry red chilies for a few seconds. Add the onion and sauté till light brown. 

          Now add the ground paste, turmeric powder and roasted cumin powder. Sauté on a medium flame till the oil separates.

          Add 3/4 cup water, red chili powder, salt to taste, remaining 2 green chilies and the fried parwals. 

          Mix well and cook, covered till the parwals are soft and the gravy thickens to a desired consistency. 

          When done, add raw mustard oil and coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice, pulao, plain biryani, paratha or chapattis.

                      Blend 2 green chilies, ginger & tomatoes to a fine paste without adding 

                      any water. Keep aside.

                              Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry the Parwals till light brown. Keep aside. 

                       Heat remaining oil & sauté kalonji & dry red chilies for a few seconds. 

                                  Add the onion and sauté till light brown. 

                     Add the ground paste, turmeric powder & roasted cumin powder. Sauté 

                     on a medium flame till the oil separates.

                        Add 3/4 cup water, red chili powder, salt to taste, remaining 2 green 

                        chilies and the fried parwals. Mix well & cook, covered till the parwals 

                        are soft and the gravy thickens to a desired consistency. 

   When done, add raw mustard oil and coriander leaves.

                        Serve with hot steamed rice, pulao, plain biryani, paratha or chapattis.

Phoolkophir Muri Ghonto (Cauliflower cooked with Rice)

          Muri Ghonto is traditionally cooked with fish head and some rice in a typical Bengali style. A local rice variety called Gobindo Bhog is used in this recipe, but in the absence of it, I used basmati rice. So let me share a vegetarian version made with cauliflower and following the same method. It turned out real yummy.

          The quantity of rice can be adjusted according to individual preference. I gave a tempering of bay leaves, whole garam masala and cumin seeds in mustard oil. The end product was flavoured with garam masala powder and ghee for some lingering aroma. Enjoy it as a side dish with either rice or chapattis. 

• 1 medium size cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1/4 cup rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms 
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the cauliflower lightly. Drain and keep aside. Heat remaining oil and temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds.

          Add the onion and stir fry till light brown.. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices (except garam masala powder) mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add the tomatoes and continue to sauté till it is nicely mashed up. Add the soaked rice and mix everything well. 

          Add the fried cauliflower, green chilies and 1 cup water. Cover and simmer till the rice and cauliflower are well cooked.

          Add the garam masala powder and ghee and give it a stir. Cover for 2 minutes and then transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with either rice or chapatti.

Labra (Mixed Vegetable Curry - Bengali Style)

          This is a simple and a traditional homemade style Bengali Mixed vegetable curry. You can add any veggies of your choice. I also added some fried vadi (dried lentil dumplings) to enhance the flavour and add a bit of a crunch to the dish. 

          This dish is very commonly cooked in many a Bengali home. For a non-veg. version, prawns or fish head is added. It is relished as a side dish with rice, khichdi, paratha, poori or chapati. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this simple delicacy.

• 1 cup each of mixed veggies, cubed (Raddish, french beans, cabbage, pumpkin, raw banana, eggplant and parwal (pointed gourd)
• 1/2 cup frozen / fresh green peas 
• 10-12 vadi (dried lentil dumplings)
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, cumin, mustard, fenugreek & nigella seeds)
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 1-2 whole red chilies
• 1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. ghee

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the vadi till golden brown. Drain and keep aside. Temper the same oil with bay leaves, red chilies, green chilies and panch phoron. 

          After it stops spluttering, add the ginger and fry for a few seconds. Now add the raddish, beans and parwal first. Fry for 2-3 minutes on high flame. 

          Then add rest of the veggies, all the dry spices and the fried vadi and green peas. Mix everything well and cook, covered on a low flame. Sprinkle water and stir at intervals.

          When done, switch off the flame and add the ghee. Keep it covered for 5 minutes and then serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

                                Chop all veggies into cubes.

                                Heat oil & fry vadi till golden brown. Drain & keep aside. 

                Temper same oil with bay leaves, red chilies, green chilies & panch phoron. 

                                After it stops spluttering, add ginger & fry for few seconds. 

                     Add raddish, beans & parwal first. Fry for 2-3 minutes on high flame. 

                               Then add rest of the veggies,

                                all dry spices and 

                  fried vadi & green peas. Mix well & cook, covered on a low flame. Sprinkle 
                  water & stir at intervals.

                  When done, switch off  flame & add ghee. Keep it covered for 5 minutes
                 

                                Serve with either rice, khichdi, poori, paratha or chapattis.