Alu Potol Kumror Dalna (Potato, Pointed Gourd and Pumpkin curry)

Potol also known as Parwal or Pointed Gourd is one of the vegetables I never cook! I guess the reason is, big seeds. Potol has chewy skin, mushy interior and rather hard and crunchy seeds inside. These seeds turn harder as the Potol ripens. So, there are quite a few dishes where the seeds are removed and the Potol is filled with some other delicious filling. In Northern India, Potol is one of the summer vegetables and hence is frequently prepared in Torkari (stir-fries) and Jhols (curries) during summer months. Growing up, I don’t remember having any friends who loved Potol (remember the reason?) and hence there was no chance for me to exchange my lunch box. However now occasionally enjoying a bowl of Potol er Dalna doesn’t seem that bad. Actually, I quite liked the curry which Debarshi’s mom prepared for us. So, I took the recipe from her in the hope that if I don’t cook it maybe some Potol lover will!

In other news, I have just started going to the gym again and I have made some very good friends there. We take the same classes and yesterday after our class we started talking. They were very interested in Indian food and we discussed a few things about slow cooking vs pressure cooking food. It always makes me happy to find people from other cultures who love Indian food. So, the next time I see them, I am going to ask them to try some Indian curries (who knows, maybe they will like Potol).

If you do try this recipe, serve this with hot Luchi or Paratha fried in ghee. This is a traditional Bengali dish and can be served for brunch or dinner. Don’t forget to add ghee because it will really enhance the flavor.

Potol er Dalna or Jhol:

Bengali curries are broadly divided into Dalna and Jhol and although it is easier for me to distinguish between the two, I would like to explain here why and how a curry can be named Dalna and not Jhol and vice versa. Jhol is a thin soupy, runny curry whereas Dalna is a thick and richer gravy. Both Jhol and Dalna can be totally vegetarian (niramish - meaning no onion and garlic will be used in the preparation) or non-vegetarian (amish – with onion and garlic and sometimes fish/ egg). This recipe is an amish Dalna because it uses onion and ghee making the dish rich and the gravy thick. The addition of Onion will also make this Dalna unsuitable to be consumed on fasting days in India (In India we do not consume any meat, fish or egg on fasting days. On such days, we don’t even use onion or garlic to prepare foods because they count as ingredients used for adding flavor in non-vegetarian foods).

Ingredients:

• Mustard Oil – 2-3 tablespoons
• Cumin Seeds – ½ teaspoon
• Dried Red Pepper Pods – 2-3
• Onion – ½ cup, cut in cubes
• Potol – 10, small, cut in halves, washed and peeled slightly
• Potato – 1, cut in big pieces, washed
• Pumpkin – ½ cup, cut very small, washed
• Coriander Powder – ½ teaspoon
• Turmeric – ½ teaspoon
• Red Chili Powder – ¼ teaspoon
• Salt – ½ teaspoon
• Sugar – ½ teaspoon
• Tomato - ½ cup, diced
• Whole Wheat Flour - 1 tablespoon
• Ghee - 1 tablespoon

Directions:

• Heat a wok on medium high heat.
• Add the oil in it. When the oil begins to smoke, reduce the heat to medium low so that it cools off a bit. This is done to remove the pungent taste and smell of the Mustard Oil.
• Temper the oil with cumin seeds and dried red pepper pods.
• After a few seconds, add the Onion. Fry lightly till it turns golden in color.
• Now add all the vegetables (Potol, Potato and Pumpkin). Fry lightly.
• Add the spices (Coriander Powder, Turmeric, Red Chili, Salt and Sugar). Mix well
• Add the Tomato, mix well.
• Reduce the heat to low.
• Continue cooking to fry the masala.
• When the masala looks fried, about 10-15 minutes, add about 1 cup of water along with the Whole Wheat Flour and Ghee. 
• Cover and continue cooking till the potatoes cook through.
• Serve hot with Luchi or Paratha.

Love Indian dishes with Potatoes? Try these recipes as well:

• Panch Bhaja (Crispy Deep Fried Vegetables)
• Alu Posto (Bengali recipe: Potatoes with Poppy Seeds)
• Alu Koraishutir Ghugni (Mamma’s Potatoes and Peas)
• Alur Dom (Bengali recipe: Potatoes with gravy)
• Alu Borir Torkari (Potatoes with sun dried Lentil Dumplings)
• Alu Tamatar Sabji (Curried Potatoes with Tomatoes)
• Masala Alu (Stir fried Potatoes with Indian spices)
• Alu Chochori (Bengali recipe: Potatoes with Indian Spices)
• Gajar Alu Matar (Curried Carrots and Potatoes with Peas)
• Alu Shimla Mirch Sabji (Potatoes with Bell Peppers Stir Fry)
• Niramish Alur Dom (Potato Gravy Without Onion and Garlic)
• Kalo Jeere diye Alur Torkari (Bengali recipe: Potatoes with Nigella Seeds)
• Alu Kumro (Bengali Torkari - Potatoes with Pumpkin stir fry)
• Chochchori (Bengali style mixed vegetables)
• Alu Bhindi (Bengali Torkari - Potatoes with Okra stir fry)
• Alu Kopir Torkari (Potatoes with Cauliflower Stir Fry/ Curry)
• Kopi Alur Chochchori (Bengali recipe: Stir fried Cauliflower with Potatoes)
• Chanar Dalna (Bengali recipe: Fresh Cheese and Potato Curry)
• Borboti Alur Torkari (Beans sautéed with spices and Potatoes)
• Bandakopi Alur Torkari (Mamma’s Cabbage in curried Potatoes)
• Cholar dal diye Kumror Torkari (Mamma’s Pumpkin Gravy with Split Bengal Gram)
• Kathal ki Sabji (Enchor/Jackfruit in a Tomato Curry)
• Alu Soa Sabji (Potato stir-fried with Dill)