Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Shahi Patol (Pointed gourd in a spicy gravy)


Here is one more recipe that is very very summery and am trying to post it before the season and the availability of this vegetable is over. Am back from Kolkata. With all your good wishes those pending, niggling works are finally done. Which obviously made us happy but the unbearable heat and humidity in Bengal dint let us enjoy this trip. The baby suffered due to the change in climate and the first week was over wiping his nose. The Hubby decided to stay in the air-conditioned room as mush as possible with his Laptop. As a result of all these I was not even able to do a little Puja shopping that I planned. I thought of at least go to the shop where Kamini bought those awesome Gicha silk sarees but could not make any time for that even. Came back on Sunday to a dusty smelly house and that night itself suffered severe stomachache due to indigestion. Right now am very weak and trying to recover with medicines and very light diet. But that doesn’t mean that I cannot share something rich and spicy dish with you. This Parwal dish is something that will resurrect your taste buds in no time. Whole juicy fried parwals in a very aromatic and spicy gravy, when eaten with Bengali yellow pulao will surely make you crave more.

This recipe calls for good quality Parwal and by good quality I mean long, thin and firm variety. I believe people who detest this vegetable will love to eat this dish as it is full with flavours and spices…tastes amazingly good with long grain steamed Basmati rice or plain Bengali sweet pulao. Though I never had tasted this recipe outside our home but am not sure about its origin. Its pretty rich compared to the other recipes that I share. It’s a staple in our house whenever guests come over during summer and am yet to meet anyone who didn’t like it.

Here is the recipe

Shahi Patol
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
Pointed gourd: 8 pieces (don’t use the ripe ones. Take good care in selecting the vegetable. Look for the bright fresh colour and Press to check the firmness.)
Onion paste: 3 tbsp
Ginger paste: ½ tbsp
Garlic paste: 1 tsp
Tomato: 1 medium
Tomato puree: 1 tbsp
Whole cardamom: 2 pieces
Cloves: 5-6
Cinnamon: 1/2 “ stick
Black pepper: 7-8
Bay leaf: 1
Oil: ¼ cup
Red chili powder: ½ tsp
Salt
Turmeric
Garam masala: 1/3 tsp
Sugar

Method:
First prepare the pointed gourds. Lightly peel the green skin lengthwise at 4 places. Trim the edges. Now cut the gourds widthwise at two places in such a way that the edges are joined (i.e. Poke the knife between the gourds cut lengthwise but not through the edges). Wash and drain excess water. Smear with salt and turmeric.

Heat the oil and fry the pointed gourds till light brown on all sides. Drain the excess oil on an absorbing paper. Set side.

Now add the whole cardamom, clove, cinnamon, pepper and bay leaf in the same oil. Once they splutter add the onion paste. Fry on low till the raw smell is gone. Mix in the ginger-garlic paste and again fry on low till oil separates at the sides.

Tip in the chopped tomato; add salt, turmeric and chili powder. Mix and cover. Once the tomato is soft and mushy add the tomato puree. Cook on medium till you see oil coming out at the sides.

Carefully transfer the fried pointed gourds and mix to coat everything together. Check seasoning(add sugar and salt as per taste)  and add ½ cup warm water.

Cover and let it simmer on low heat.


Once you see the gravy coats the veggies. Sprinkle the garam masala powder and serve hot with any rice dish of your choice.


Tags:
pointed gourd, parwal, patol, patal, bengali recipe, bengali vegetarian recipe, Moglai recipe, Bangali patol tarkari, patol tarkari, tarkari, bengali sabzi, parwal in onion gravy, spicy vegetable, parwal ki sabzi, tomato gravy. vegetable in tomato onion gravy, vegetable in makhani gravy. makhani sauce, tangy spicy curry, vegetable curry, garam masala, flavored gravy, Indian flavoured spicy gravy,

42 comments:

  1. One of my most fav veggie..looks spicy n delish sayantani..loving the color of the gravy:)

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  2. oh i love potal n ur shahi patol looks awesome ...thank q somuch sayatani for sharing this wonderful dish ...yummy

    Satya
    http://www.superyummyrecipes.com

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  3. I loveee patol and am drooling over this shahi patol. Yummm!!!!!

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  4. I love parval n a similar recipe is a staple summer dish at my mom's place too ( not using the tomato puree n sugar n the parval is cut differently )..we call that masale wala parval....... I have tasted the bengali potoler dalna n that's a fave.
    This one looks great !!

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  5. My mom never made parwal, and i never got used to cooking it...I see the vegetable all the time at the Indian store , but never buy it...maybe this time, I'll get it and try it out...it looks fairly simple to make, i'll keep in mind your tip on buying the right ones! :)

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  6. this is my all time fav veggie. I can eat any dish prepare from it.yours look lovely.

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  7. Looks lovely!! I love this veggie very much

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  8. looks gr8... thanks for the lovely recipe :)

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  9. Fingerlicking gravy, very tempting.

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  10. Ekhane patol er P o paoa jae na....kotodin je khaina ke jane....darun dekhte hoechhe..dekhei khete ichhe korchhe....

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  11. Hi Sayantani

    Potol Curry Phataphati hoyeche. Loved the look of the curry.Eta dekhe aamar banate khub eccha korche.

    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  12. Dear Sayantani
    Very nice recipe. I have got some deshi patol today. WIll try it in a day or two.
    20 years back I used to carry patol to bangalore for my brother and didi . It was not available those days..Now you get plenty
    Have a nice day

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  13. I luv potaal .... one of my fav recipe. This one makes me crave for it .... yummm

    Happy to follow you.

    Cheers n Happy Cooking,
    Satrupa
    http://satrupa-foodforthought.blogspot.com

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  14. One more veggie that I have to experiment with! The gravy looks delicious!
    wishing you a quick recovery, dear!

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  15. Sayantani, lobhoniyo hoyeche tomar shahi potol. Kokhono eto spicy korini, ekbar try korbo.
    Potol will be in my menu for some more days...till I lose its taste...

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  16. Looks very rich and think Saya, will try this as subzi for rotis..

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  17. spicy gourd curry! worth trying!

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  18. I'm confused about this veggie..you curry looks wonderful though..

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  19. ekhane potol paina. we haven't had it for MANY years. cannot believe I am writing this. what a delicacy! porer bochor deshe giye shob summer er khabar khaabo.

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  20. Naam ta toh shundor aar dekhte aaro shundor. As kids, we never ate patol unless it was a keema-filled dorma. :-)

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  21. thank u sayantani for visiting my blog ..your comments r highly appreciated..luved your space too ..happy to follow u..pls do keep coming and btw luved the shahi patol !

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  22. Hi Satyani...
    Thanks for visiting and the lovely blog. You have one mindblowing collection of traditional bengali recipes!I guess I will visit you again and again coz I m married to one! And he like some traditional bengali stuff:)

    Thanks

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  23. ufffffff..fatafati dekhte hoyeche, Syantani..er sathe jadi luchi thake to kathi nei..ami ek patoler poka, ebare ene banabo ebhabe luchir sathe...take care & get well soon

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  24. Lovely spicy treat! Love the veggie.

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  25. Great click and you have done it so well, looks so yummy with the right spices combination...take care dear..

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  26. Wish you and your family a very Happy Janmashtami.
    I love patol very much and I am drooling seeing your delicious recipe. Unfortunately I cannot have patol as it is not available in Perth. Feel like having shahi patol now itself. Looks mouth watering.

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  27. Looks nice Sayantani. Hope you and the baby are doing well by now.

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  28. wonderful sayantani..veggie posts are always my favourite...today is our anniversary...so think for the evening menu i should take tips from you from my bengali husband :)

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  29. I never knew we cud make such a dish with patol......luks so yummy :)

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  30. Dear Sayantani
    Today I made the Patol Shahi...It was very tasty ...thanks.
    Read your comment at my blog...the credit goes to Indrani of course...
    I am bit concerned over your health problem...I am sure you are consulting doc...and following doc advise 100%. There is nothing called indigestion or Pet garam etc...please follow doc advise and you will be OK.
    let me see when I come to Blore ..before that need to go to Bolpur.
    I will be coming to blore for sure from 21st to 24th Nov...there is marriage of my Bahgni..We want to meet you, Deepa and other blore blog friends..takhon adda mara jab-e
    Bhalo theko

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  31. Patol in gravy looks very delicious dear. useful tips on selecting them , while buying.

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  32. Thanks for th comment
    This looks fantastic
    I love the blog header

    Check out the event in my site

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  33. ahh..I was just gonna ask you what is Patol, and I saw your tags..Parwar...ok..I made them today..but I liked yours..will soon try your version..

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  34. Prefect recipe for a veg I like.

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  35. Hi Sayantani... hope you are feeling better now... saw your comment on my site... whipped topping is actually a low fat non-dairy substitute for whipped cream. They normally have it in the frozen foods section of grocery stores. I use it as it helps makes the ice-cream light. If you cannot find it you can use whipped cream as a substitute as mentioned in the notes in my post.

    Hope that helps.

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  36. Thanks everyone for your continuing support.
    @thanks Aipi for the clarification.

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  37. Hi Sayanti!! I am actually trying your recipe based on the picture... It looks so good!!! I am not sure when to add the sugar you've accidentally forgot to mention it... Thank you!!!

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