Trichosanthes diocia is known as the pointed gourd, parwal (parval) or potol .Informally ,it is also known as green potato in many places of India. It is a perennial ,vine plant,similar to cucumber and squash. It is a diocious plant ( male and female) which remains dormant during the winter season and thrives well under a hot to moderately warm and humid climate. Pointed gourd is a good source of carbohydrates, Vit A and Vit C. It also contains major nutrients and trace elements which are needed in small proportion for playing essential role in human physiology. (Source: A Text book of Botany)
This is used as the ingredients of soup, stew,curry sweet or eaten fried and as potoler dorma( dolma) with fish or meat or potato stuffing.
Today I am going to share a simply curry recipe of potol which my mom prepares very frequently in the scorching summer.It is a good alternative of the rich non vegetarian dishes.It is a very simple recipe where fried potol is cooked in the thick gravy of yogurt.It tastes best when served with steaming hot rice.
Here is the recipe.
Ingredients:
- Pointed Gourd( potol):8/9 pieces.
- Yogurt:1/2 Cup
- Cinnamon:1 " stick
- Cardamom:3/4
- Cloves:3/4
- Bay Leaves:2
- Ginger:1 tsp paste
- Red Chili Powder:1 tsp (adjust according to your tolerance)
- Turmeric Powder:1 tsp.
- Salt:to taste
- Sugar:1/4 tsp.
- Cumin Powder:1 1/2 tsp.
- Coriander Powder:1 1/2 tsp.
- Oil:2 tbsp + 2 tbsp(for frying) ( Preferably mustard oil ,else white oil is ok too).
Process:
- Lightly skin the potol ( sparingly) ( see the picture ,don't peel off all the skin) . Cut both the ends. Marinate with little salt and turmeric powder and keep aside for few minutes.
- Heat the oil in a pan and fry them until golden brown in color. Keep them on a tissue paper to absorb the excess oil.Discard the fried blackish oil.
- Now take a small bowl and mix the turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder,red chili powder, ginger paste and salt. Now add little water and mix well to make a smooth paste .Keep it separately for 10-15 minutes.
- Now heat some fresh oil in the pan and add the bay leaves,cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamoms.
- Once you feel the aroma add the spices paste prepared earlier.On medium flame cook it until oil starts to release from sides.
- Now beat the yogurt very well with a tbsp of water and slowly add to the pan so that the yogurt can not be curdled. Give a nice stir and now add the fried pointed gourds.
- Cook on medium flame stirring occasionally until you see that the curry tend to release from the pan. You don't need to add any extra water as the yogurt will release a lots of water and it will be cooked in this water.
- Sprinkle the sugar and cook for another few minutes.Adjust the gravy and taste the seasoning. Generally doi potol doesn't have much gravy so turn off the flame once all the potols are well coated by the spices mixture.Turn off the flame.
- Sprinkle the garam masala powder and cover the pan for a while so that the aroma could be captured by the curry.Uncover and serve with hot steaming rice.
Enjoy Your Food..!!
