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)

Bhindi Pyaz (Okra and Onion stir-fry)

Bhindi Pyaz is one of the easiest stir-fries you will ever learn. Bhindi is the Hindi name for Okra. We also call it Lady Finger in India. It is one of my favorite vegetables. My mom always says that I share my love of okra with both my grand fathers which always makes me feel proud. I never knew my paternal grand dad. He passed away long back when my father was just a kid in high school. So, when I am told I have something in common with him it is so special. And I loved my maternal grand father (Papa). He was the joy of the whole family and I miss him so much. I think the relationship between a kid and their grand parents is priceless. So, if you are lucky to have your grand parents, visit/ talk with them as much as you can. I am glad I spent as much time as I could with Papa. He really encouraged me to write. He used to take such a special interest in my writing and I really think that without his encouragement I would not have taken my writing as seriously as I do today.

Coming back to Bhindi Pyaz, this is a North Indian recipe and hence is frequently prepared at my parent’s home. While you can find okra at any grocery shop I have often found them overpriced. Hence, this is something I prefer to get from the Indian stores. Making this stir-fry is an absolute fuss free project. Just make sure that you are cooking the okra well so that all the slime cuts. 

Serve this Bhindi Pyaz with plain Paratha. You can also serve it with Luchi/ Rice/ Roti and Arhar Dal.

Ingredients:

• Okra: 3 cups, do not use the pre-chopped frozen bags
• Onion: 2 cups, sliced
• Green Chili: 2, slit in half
• Turmeric powder: ½ teaspoon
• Red Chili powder: ¼ teaspoon
• Mustard Oil: 2 tablespoons
• Salt: ½ teaspoon

Lets Prep:

• Wash the Okra and let the water drain out completely. Spread it on a plate and pat it dry. Leave it for 10 minutes.
• Remove the heads and tails of Okras.
• Now cut the Okra into medium pieces. Do not cut too small as it will make it slimier while cooking. Also, keep an eye out for worms, they are not very common but better to be safe.
• Now we are ready to cook.

Directions:

• Heat a pot on high flame.
• Add the Mustard 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 Green Chilis.
• Add the Onion in it. Add a pinch of salt in it so that it caramelizes. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the okra now. Mix. Increase the heat to high. This is done to dry the sliminess of the okra. Stir occasionally. Do not cover the pan while cooking as it will only make the Okra slimier. 

• Once the okra looks a little fried (about 5 minutes) add the Turmeric, Red Chili powder and Salt and mix well.
• Reduce the heat to medium now, keep stirring occasionally till all the slime dries up.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• Bhindi Pyaz is ready! Serve hot with Plain Paratha/Luchi/ Namkeen Puri/ Roti/ Rice and dal.

Love okra? Try these recipes as well:

• Bhindi Kalonji – Okra with Indian spices
• Alu Bhindi (Bengali Torkari - Potatoes with Okra stir fry)
• Bhindi Masala (Okra with Indian Spices)
• Bhindi fried in Kalonji seeds
• Masala Alu Bhindi (Stir-fried Potatoes with Okra and spices)
• Air Fried Okra (Bhindi/ Lady Finger)

Bhindi Kalonji – Okra with Indian spices

Bhindi Kalonji or Okra with Indian spices is one of the most common side dishes prepared in North Indian households. This simple torkari (fried vegetables) tastes best with plain Paratha but I also love it with some steamed rice and dal. The best part is, since this dish does not use any onion or garlic, it can be prepared with very less oil. Traditionally, to prepare Kalonji, a slit is made in the vegetables (like Okra or Eggplant) and the spices are filled in it. The vegetables are then fried till they are cooked. This approach works great with eggplants, as they are bigger in size hence filling the spices in them is much easier. Follow the same procedure with a slender okra and it turns into a time consuming process. I follow a much simpler method where instead of stuffing the okra with spices I just cut them in half lengthwise and fry them with the spices. This helps to cut down the preparation time and the dish still tastes amazing because the frying dries the sliminess of the okra.

Bhindi or Lady Finger as we call it in India is one of my favorite veggies. You will be surprised to know that no one in my family loves Bhindi like I do and it looks like, I inherited my love for this green vegetable from my Papa (my maternal grand father) who loved to have Bhindi Bhaja (deep fried Okra) in his lunch menu. It almost makes me nostalgic to remember our lunch at grand ma’s house. I was just a kid back then and I used to be so surprised with the elaborate lunch menu they used to plan for us. There would be bowls and bowls of different types of food involving several courses and although my Didubhai (maternal Grand ma) used to cook everything else, before we could compliment her for anything, Papa would jump in and he would start fishing for compliments about the goat curry he prepared. Everyone used to laugh and then we would all talk and eat and have a great time. It used to feel like Thanksgiving with all that food and family members all around and now whenever I cook Bhindi, I remember Papa and all those family meals we had together.

Anyway, coming back to the topic, for this recipe we will be using a spice mix which consists of 5 different spices – Methi (Fenugreek Seeds), Saunf (Fennel Seeds), Kalonji (Nigella Seeds), Dry Red Chilies, Amchur (Dry Mango Powder) and Salt. We will first dry roast the spices and then grind them coarsely. This will bring that fresh flavor and aroma in the dish. Also, we will be using Mustard oil to cook this torkari which will help to bring that rustic flavor in the dish.

Preparing okra dishes is tricky so read my tips carefully and enjoy this rustic torkari with some hot crispy Parathas.

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:

• Okra: 1 small bag (about 20 Okras), do not use the pre-chopped frozen bags
• Fenugreek Seeds – ½ teaspoon
• Fennel Seeds – 2 tablespoons
• Nigella Seeds – 1 and ½ teaspoons
• Dry Red Chilli – 2 pieces 
• Dry Mango Powder – 1 tablespoon
• Salt – to taste (about ½ teaspoon)
• Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon 
• Green chilies – 2 (optional), broken in half
• Mustard Oil - 2 tablespoons

Lets Prep:

• Wash the Okra and let the water drain out completely. Spread it on a plate and pat it dry. Leave it for 10 minutes.
• Remove the heads and tails of Okras.
• Now cut each Okra into half lengthwise. Also, keep an eye out for worms, they are not very common but better to be safe.

Let’s prepare the Kalonji Spice Mix:

• Take a wide pan or skillet and heat it over medium heat.
• Add all the whole spices (Fenugreek Seeds, Fennel Seeds, Nigella Seeds and Dry Red Chilies)
• Dry roast the spices for 2-3 minutes, keep moving them in the skillet after every couple of seconds. 
• You will see that the spices will start changing color, they will darken a bit and smell roasted. That means you can take them off the heat and transfer them to your grinder/ Nutri bullet and let them cool (about 5-10 minutes).
• Grind the roasted spices until a course powder is formed. 
• Kalonji Spice Mix is ready. You can now use it to prepare the dish. 
• You can also prepare a little extra spice mix and store it in an airtight container to use it later on. Label the container clearly that the mix contains only the aforementioned spices.

Directions to prepare the Bhindi Kalonji:

• Heat a wok on medium high heat.
• Add the Mustard 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.
• Increase the heat to medium and if you are adding Green Chilies then this is the time to add them in the oil.
• Add the Okra in it. Medium heat will ensure a longer cooking time and it will dry up the sliminess of the Okra pieces. Also, do not cover the pan while cooking, it will make the Okra slimier. 
• Once the Okra looks a little fried add the Kalonji Spice Mix in it along with the Dry Mango Powder, Salt and Turmeric powder and mix well.
• Reduce the heat to medium low and keep stirring occasionally. The torkari should be ready in about 10-12 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and cover the wok for 2-3 minutes.
• Serve hot with crisp plain Parathas or Rice and Dal.

Recommended reading:

• Alu Bhindi (Bengali Torkari - Potatoes with Okra stir fry)
• Plain Paratha (Fried Flat Bread)
• Luchi – Deep Fried Puffed Bread
• Indian Salad
• Kopi Alur Chochchori (Bengali recipe: Stir fried Cauliflower with Potatoes)
• Namkeen Puri (Deep Fried Savory Puffed Bread)
• Know more about Kalonji or Nigella seeds
• Bhindi Pyaz (Okra and Onion stir-fry)
• Korola Alu (Stir fried Bitter Gourd with Potatoes)
• Bhindi Masala (Okra with Indian Spices)
• Shadi wala Masala Gobhi (Spiced Cauliflower with Potatoes as served in North Indian Weddings)
• Bhindi fried in Kalonji seeds
• Chichinda Pyaz Sabji (Snake gourd and Onion stir fry)
• Masala Alu Bhindi (Stir-fried Potatoes with Okra and spices)
• Air Fried Okra (Bhindi/ Lady Finger)

Alu Bhindi (Bengali Torkari - Potatoes with Okra stir fry)

This week I am going to share with you another Bengali torkari (stir fry) recipe – Alu Bhindi (Potatoes with Okra). Prepared with just a handful of spices this simple torkari has been my favorite since childhood. This is one of the simplest dishes of Bengali cuisine and can be eaten as a comfort food with Roti or Dal Bhat (lentils and rice) or as a breakfast/ dinner main course torkari with Luchi or Paratha.

Why this recipe? Because we don’t always want to cook rich and heavy curries, sometimes it feels good to eat something light and different. Here in South, Okra is served sometimes as a fried side, in New Orleans, its used as an ingredient for the famous Gumbo. I have often heard from my friends, ‘I love Okra but every time I want to have it I have go to the Indian restaurant, wish I knew some Indian recipes’. 

And so I decided I should add an Okra recipe on my blog. This is a very good option for the Vegans. Now this recipe uses Panch fhoron which is mainly the mixture of 5 different spices - Fenugreek Seed, Nigella Seed, Cumin Seed, Black Mustard Seed and Fennel Seed. This is available in your local Indian store so all you need to do is get the spice mix and the vegetables.

Cooking Okra can be a bit tricky as it tends to get slimy. So read my directions carefully and proceed step by step. A good texture is important for serving this as a main course so I recommend using a wok.

Serve this with Steamed Rice and Lentils or Roti. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Okra: 1 small bag (20 Okras), do not use the pre-chopped frozen bags
• Potato: 2 medium sizes
• Green Chili: 2
• Turmeric powder: ½ teaspoon
• Oil: 1 tablespoon
• Salt: ½ teaspoon
• Panch fhoron – 1 teaspoon

Lets Prep:

• Wash the Okra and let the water drain out completely. Spread it on a plate and pat it dry. Leave it for 10 minutes.
• Cut the Potatoes in half lengthwise and then cut them in thin long pieces shaped like the alphabet ‘D’.
• Remove the heads and tails of Okras.
• Now cut the Okra into medium sized pieces. Do not cut too small as it will make it slimy while cooking. Also, keep an eye out for worms, they are not very common but better to be safe.
• Now we are ready to cook the Torkari.

Directions:

• Heat a wok on medium flame.
• Add Oil in it and tamper the Oil with Panch Fhoron and Green Chilis.
• Add the Potatoes and Okra in it. This way by the time the sliminess of Okra is dried up the Potatoes are also cooked.
• Do not cover the pan while cooking, it will make the Okra slimier. The thinly cut Potatoes will get cooked easily. 
• Once the vegetables look a little fried add the Turmeric and Salt and mix well.
• The Torkari will be ready in 10 minutes. Keep stirring it occasionally and reduce the heat to medium low if required.
• Serve hot with Roti or Dal Bhat with Onion rings and pickles. 

 

Recommended Reading:

• Plain Paratha (Fried Flat Bread)
• Bhindi Kalonji – Okra with Indian spices
• Luchi – Deep Fried Puffed Bread
• Indian Salad
• Panch Fhoron
• Arhar Dal (Toor Dal or Split Yellow Pigeon Peas Soup)
• Bhindi Pyaz (Okra and Onion stir-fry)
• Alu Potol Kumror Dalna (Potato, Pointed Gourd and Pumpkin curry)
• Pui Saag er Chochchori (Bengali recipe: Mixed vegetables with Shrimp and Malabar Spinach)
• Bhindi Masala (Okra with Indian Spices)
• Borboti Alur Torkari (Beans sautéed with spices and Potatoes)
• Bandakopi Alur Torkari (Mamma’s Cabbage in curried Potatoes)
• Kathal ki Sabji (Enchor/Jackfruit in a Tomato Curry)
• Alu Peyaj er Chochchori (Bengali recipe: Stir fried Potatoes with Onion)
• Bhindi fried in Kalonji seeds
• Masala Alu Bhindi (Stir-fried Potatoes with Okra and spices)
• Air Fried Okra (Bhindi/ Lady Finger)