Potol Recipe | Bengali Aloo Potol er Dalna

Making bengali garam masala

1. In a dry grinder or coffee grinder take seeds of green cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves. If using cassia cinnamon then use ½ inch of it.
2. Grind to a fine powder. You can also crush these spices in a mortar-pestle. Remove the Bengali garam masala and keep aside.

Chopping and cleaning potol

1. Firstly rinse 250 grams parwal (pointed gourds) very well in water a few times. Then peel them. You can even lightly scrape of the skin if you want. 
2. Chop the parwal in two to three pieces. There are seeds and pith in the parwal. If the seeds are mature and large, then vertically slice the parwal in two parts. Scrape the seeds and pith and then chop. If the seeds are tiny and tender, then you don’t need to remove seeds and the pith.
3. Add ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Adding both turmeric and salt is optional and can be skipped. Mix well.

Frying potol and aloo

1. On a low to medium flame heat 3 tablespoons mustard oil in a kadai or pan and let it come to its smoking point.
2. Reduce the heat and then add the parwal or potol pieces.
3. Mix well and begin to fry the parwal on a medium-low to medium heat. Fry them in batches.
4. Fry the potol stirring often for even cooking.
5. When the potol is getting fried - rinse, peel and also slice potatoes in cubes.
6. Sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt and mix well. Adding both turmeric and salt is optional and can be skipped.
7. Fry parwal pieces till light golden. You just need to fry them till they are almost cooked.
8. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper towels.
9. Now add the potato cubes in the same pan.
10. Stirring them often fry for even cooking till you see golden spots on the edges and the potatoes are almost cooked.
11. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper towels.

Making aloo potol curry

1. In the same oil, now add 1 tej patta and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Let cumin seeds splutter on a low heat.
2. Now add ¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes and stir.
3. Add 1 slit green chili and 1 teaspoon minced ginger or ginger paste.
4. Mix well and begin to sauté tomatoes on a low to medium heat.
5. Sauté till the tomatoes soften and turn mushy.
6. Next add coriander powder, cumin powder, kashmiri red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
7. Mix and sauté for a minute on low heat.
8. Add ½ to ⅔ cup water and mix well.
9. Now add the fried potol (parwal) and aloo.
10. Season 1 teaspoon sugar and salt as per taste. Mix again.
11. Cover pan with lid and simmer on medium-low heat for 6 to 7 minutes. In between do check the aloo potol gravy and if the curry looks dry then you can add some more water.
12. Simmer till the aloo potol curry thickens a bit. The potatoes and parwal will also be completely cooked within 6 to 7 minutes.
13. Once the veggies are done, add the ground Bengali masala of cloves, cinnamon and cardamoms.
14. Lastly add 1 teaspoon ghee. Adding ghee is optional and can be skipped.
15. Mix well and turn off the heat.
16. Serve Aloo Potol Dalna hot or warm with chapati, paratha, luchi or poori or steamed rice. You can garnish with some coriander leaves also while serving.