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. 

Dhonepata Bata (Coriander Leaves Paste / Chutney - Bong Style)

 

             Coriander leaves is an aromatic herb that is generally used for garnishing any prepared dish. But try making a paste out of it - Bong style. It tastes simply superb. It is almost similar to chutney, but in a cooked version. In this recipe, the fresh leaves are first ground along with garlic, chilies, onion and tomato (though the latter two are optional).

          It is then stir fried with a tempering of nigella seeds in mustard oil. It is a very simple and a a very easy recipe as it has very few ingredients. This dish is also called Bhorta in Bangladesh and goes best with hot steamed rice. However, you can also relish it as a spread on chapattis, parathas or sandwiches. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare traditional recipe.

• 2-3 bunches of coriander leaves along with the stem
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 fresh green chilies
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 tomato
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds

          Wash and drain the coriander leaves. Then grind it along with garlic, green chilies, onion and tomato into a fine paste by adding very little water.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with the nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the ground paste, salt and turmeric powder.

          Keep sautéing on a low flame till all the moisture has been absorbed. Enjoy with hot steamed rice, chapattis or parathas.

                 Grind coriander leaves along with garlic, green chilies, onion & tomato ....

                                 ....... into a fine paste by adding very little water.

                      Heat oil in a pan & temper with the nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                  Add the ground paste, salt and turmeric powder.

                        Keep sautéing on a low flame till all the moisture has been absorbed. 

                                 Enjoy with hot steamed rice, chapattis or parathas. 

          

Biuli Dal diye Thankuni Patar Bora (Centella Leaves Pakoras / Fritters - Bengali Style)

         Check for these yummy pakoras (fritters) made of Centella leaves (Thankuni Pata in Bengali lingo). This particular herb has some medicinal benefits and is not much known, but is popular in the North Eastern regions, especially West Bengal and Bangladesh.

         Traditionally, these greens are used to make pakoras, chutney, stir fries, juice or salads. Fortunately, I was able to spot these greens in one of the supermarkets here and so decided to prepare some pakoras. They can be enjoyed with some kasundi as appetizers, as a tea time snack or as a side dish with our daily dal-chawal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup thankuni pata (centella leaves)
• 1/4 cup split urad dal (black gram), soaked for 2-3 hours
• 2 tbsp. roasted chickpea flour
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 
• oil to deep fry

          Grind the soaked dal with very little water to a smooth paste. 

          Then mix together all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil).

          Heat oil in a pan and drop spoonful of the batter. Fry till golden brown in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel.

          Serve as a tea time snack, as an appetizer with kasundi / green chutney or as a side dish with dal-chawal.

                       Mix together all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil).

                      Heat oil & drop spoonful of the batter. Fry till golden brown.

                     Serve as a tea time snack, as an appetizer with kasundi/ green chutney 
                     or as a side dish with dal-chawal.

Mangsher Ghugni (Dried Peas Curry with Mutton - Bengali Style)

           Ghugni or Dried Yellow Peas Curry is a very common weekend breakfast menu in most of the Bengali homes and a great favourite too. They are relished with hot luchi (poori), parathas or chapattis, and are generally accompanied with some chopped onion, green chilies and lime wedges.

          Today I made a non-veg. version of it by adding some boiled mutton cubes. This is an awesome side dish best enjoyed for a lazy weekend breakfast. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup dried peas, soaked in water overnight
• 250 gms. mutton with bones, cubed
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp. ghee
• chopped coriander leaves & chopped onion to garnish

          Pressure cook the drained peas in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 10 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. Keep aside.

          Pressure cook the mutton too in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds and add the onion. Fry till light brown.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spies mixed with 1/4 cup water. Fry till the oil separates and then add the tomatoes. Cook till it is mashed.

          Add the boiled peas and mutton. Cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Adjust water according to the gravy desired.

          When done, add ghee and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and chopped onion. Serve with poori, paratha, rice or any Indian bread.

                   

                     Heat oil & temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & 
                     cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds.

                                Add onion & fry till light brown.

                    Add ginger-garlic paste & all dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Fry
                     till oil separates. 

                                  Add tomatoes. Cook till it is mashed.

                    Add boiled peas & mutton. Cover & simmer for 4-5 min. Adjust water 
                    accordingly.

                      When done, add ghee & garnish with coriander leaves & chopped onion. 

                                   Serve with poori, paratha, rice or any Indian bread.