Potol Chingri...

Food is not just a mean to satisfy our hunger, rather it serves as an art characterised by distinct techniques with a mix of specific culture. Various factors like local ingredients, traditions, and customs get involve in the process to create a unique dish. Therefore here I present before you a very popular recipe of the Bengali households- "Potol Chingri", prepared to relieve all from the daily toil of excavating some distinct cuisine at the dinner table to please your taste buds. Let's try our hands on this special recipe today.

Potol (Parwal/Pointed Gourd) Chingri...

Ingredients-

10-12 Potol (Parwal/Pointed Gourd), scraped & chopped into roundels

1 Potato, cubed

2 Onion, chopped

1 Tomato, chopped

1/2 cup Prawns, deveined & cleaned

3-4 tbsp Mustard oil

1" Cinnamon stick

2-3 Green Cardamoms

4-5 Cloves

2 Bay Leaf

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste

1 tsp Cumin powder

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

2-3 Green Chilli, slit

1 tsp Red Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder

1 tsp Ghee

1 tsp Coriander leaves, chopped

1 tsp Garam Masala powder

Salt and Sugar to taste

Method-

Heat oil in a kadai and fry the prawns till golden brown. Drain and keep aside. In the same oil fry the potato and potols separately till light brown. Keep aside. Heat the remaining oil & temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds. Add the onions and fry till translucent. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for a min till the raw smell vanishes. Add the tomatoes and cook till soft. Add the cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and black pepper powder mixed with 1/4 cup water. Saute till the oil separates. Now add the fried potols, potatoes, prawns, slit green chillies, salt and sugar to taste. Mix everything well and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water & simmer, covered on a low flame till the gravy thickens and the potols turn soft. Now add the garam masala powder. Cover and cook further for 2 minutes. When done, add ghee and mix well. Switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves & serve with either hot steaming rice or rotis.

Please do try this recipe at your home and let me know how it was in the comments section below. Also, do share and follow me for more such easy, tasty and delightful recipes. Thank you. Enjoy.