The Bengali people can’t imagine a single merriment time without some special foods. Be it their new year, be it their wedding ceremony, be it any religious time or at home even Sundays are considered curtailed without the food indulgences. Yes, we love to cook, love to enjoy our exclusive moment to its full extent and take pleasure of our food in every possible way.
Today, I am going to share an elite vegetable preparation with a non veg twist which is considered as one of the most conventional and humble Bengali delicacies, Potoler Dorma/Potoler Dolma or Stuffed Pointed Gourd Curry. There are two deviations of this dish. One is the complete vegetarian version where fried pointed gourds are stuffed with smashed potato or paneer (cottage cheese) and the the in other variety fried pointed gourds are stuffed with fish ,prawns or even chicken.
I picked the prawn stuffing version this time. The procedure is little prolonged and time taking but the consequence will be so unparalleled and well that it worth putting time.
Here comes the complete procedure of making Chingri Pur Bhora Potoler Dorma or Prawn Stuffed Pointed Gourd Curry..!!!!!!
Ingredients:
- Pointed Gourds:
- Prawns(small sized, I used biryani prawns) :200 gm.(decapitated ,without tail,shelled, ,veined and washed , )
- Onions: 4 (2 chopped finely and make a smooth paste with other two of them).
- Ginger: 1 tsp. + 1 ½ tsp.
- Garlic: 1 tsp + 1 tsp.( Crushed)
- Coconut (grated): 2 tbsp.
- Tomato Puree: 2 tsp+ 2 tbsp.
- Salt: to taste
- Sugar:1/2 tsp.
- Kashmiri Red Chili Powder: 2 tsp.
- Mustard Oil: 2 tbsp for cooking
- White Oil: 2 tbsp (For frying the pointed gourds and the prawns)
- Water: 1 Cup
- Garam Masala Powder: ½ tsp.
Preparation:
- Wash and clean the pointed gourds at first. Then Scrape the whole skin of each of them with a knife. Then cut one end little, near the edge and the other end little big. The big cut helps to enter a spoon inside to scope out the seeds.
- Then rub the pointed gourds with little salt and turmeric powder and keep them aside for just 4-5 minutes. Heat little white oil in a pan and fry them .Once done, take them out of the pan and keep them on a tissue paper to absorb the excess oil.
- Now wash and pat dry the prawns. Marinate them with little salt and turmeric powder. Now fry them with little white oil until pinkish in color. Take them out of the pan and let it cool for sometime. Then mash them coarsely with hands.
- Now heat 1 tsp of mustard in a pan. Add 1 tsp of crushed garlic and sauté till brown. Add the chopped onion, tomato puree, ginger paste, little salt and red chili powder. Sauté till the raw smell goes off. Now add the mashed prawns into it. Stir well and cook until oil starts releasing from sides of the pan. Sprinkle a very little water at this time and give a nice stir. Add the grated coconut and cook another 5-6 minutes on medium to low flame.
- Your prawn stuffing is ready now. Take them out of the pan and keep separately until it becomes cool.
- Now stuff each of the fried pointed gourds with the prawns and make them ready to be cooked into the gravy.
- Take a separate pan. Heat the mustard oil and add the sugar and fry till brown. Now add the garlic, fry little and add the tomato puree and onion paste together. Sprinkle salt, turmeric powder, kashmiri red chili powder and mix thoroughly.
- After 5-6 minutes add the ginger paste and cook on medium flame till the oil start to release from the sides of the pan. Pour the water and cover. Let it boil for sometime.
- Now uncover and add the garam masala powder and cover again for a while so that the aroma of it could be absorbed by the curry.
- Then add the stuffed pointed gourd. Lower the flame and instead of stirring it vigorously cook them very carefully. Once one side the pointed gourds is covered by the gravy turn them and cook the another side for few minutes more.
- Your Potoler Dorma is ready. Turn off the flame and serve with steaming hot right. Enjoy this absolutely heavenly delish.
Enjoy your food...!!!
Just Awesome....a must try for me.... :)
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