Doi Potol
Bengali Style Niramish Doi Potol is easy to make & tastes so good with rice, Chapathi, Poori or Naan. You'll love making this pointed gourd curry also known as Dahi Parwal in a subtly sweet yogurt based sauce that's devoid of Onion & garlic.
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Servings: 3 people
Calories: 120kcal
Ingredients
- 14 pieces Potol medium size also known as Parwal or pointed gourd
- ½ cup yogurt beaten or whisked
- 1 tbsp ginger + green chilies paste I used 4 green chilies
- 3 tbsp any neutral white oil
- 1 tsp Sugar
- Salt (to taste)
Dry Spices
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder divided into equal parts
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- ½ tbsp Paprika or Deggi Mirch or Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
For Tempering
- 1 Bay leaf tej patta
- 1 1″ cinnamon stick dalchini
- 3 Green Cardamoms choti elaichi
For Granish
- ¼ tsp Bengali Garam Masala Read Notes below
- 2 tbsp Ghee
Instructions
Prepping the Potol or Parwal or Pointed Gourd
- Begin by washing the Potol or Parwal very well. It's better to keep them soaked in salt or vinegar water for 30 mins. This helps to eliminate pesticides and residual build up and also eliminates germs and bacteria.
- Drain excess water from the potol and chop of the tips. Remove the skins partially leaving thin strips in between, This thin strip of skin left behind prevents the pointed gourd from becoming completely soft and limp once cooked.
- Prick the peeled parwal with the help of a fork or make 2-3 vertical slits on it's surface. This helps the sauce to penerate inside the veggie. Don't cut the Pointed gourds they must remain whole.
- Add ½ tsp turmeric powder and salt according to taste and coat the potol very well.
- Set a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil. When the oil becomes moderately hot gently release the pointed gourds or parwals. Fry them until golden in color. Set them aside.
Making the Doi Potol Bengali Style
- Use the fried potol left over oil and the same skillet to cook the rest of the recipe.
- Set the skillet over medium heat and throw in the whole spices along with the bay leaf. Allow them to sizzle for a few seconds.
- Add the ginger and green chilies paste (READ NOTES below) and sauté for 1 min. The ginger will splutter a lot at this stage so be careful.
- Now, in a small bowl add the dry spices and 2-3 tbsp. water. Whisk to make a spices slurry. Sauté until the raw aroma disappears or the spices begin to release a lovely aroma. 1-2 mins approx. Making a slurry will prevent the spices from getting burnt.
- Lower the heat to the lowest setting and gently add the whisked or beaten yogurt. Stir briskly to mix with the rest of the ingredients in the skillet. Add salt and mix.
- You may add about ½ cup water now. Increase the heat to medium low and bring the sauce to simmer.
- Now, add fried Potol or parwal and coat well with the sauce.
- Cover and simmer until the pointed gourds are cooked through. Took me another 5 mins.
- Turn off the heat. Garnish with ghee and homemade Bengali garam masala powder. Give it a good mix. Serve hot. Enjoy!
Notes
- Measuring Units used, 1 cup = 240 ml & 1 teaspoon = 5 ml.
- How to clean Pointed gourd that's not organic? Add ½ cup vinegar in 4 cups water, submerge the pointed gourds and let them rest for 30 mins. Rinse and drain well. You can swap the vinegar with 3 tbsp. baking soda or salt. This technique helps remove pesticides, residues, germs and microbes from the potol.
- Bengali Garam Masala Recipe: Skillet roast equal amounts of cloves, cinnamon & green cardamom over medium high heat for 1 min. Grind them in a blender to form a fine powder. Store in air tight container.
- Ginger + chili paste: ½" ginger root made into paste with 4 green chilies and 1 tsp water in a blender jar.
- Prevent the yogurt from splitting in oil: Always lower the heat to the lowest setting before adding curd. Mix briskly after adding the yogurt to the pan.
- Storing Tip: Bengali style Doi Potol or Dahi Parwal keeps good for 3 days in the fridge. Store it in air tight container.
- Serving Ideas: Serve this easy recipe of Doi Potol with hot white rice, Chapathi, Poori or Naan.
- Don't love spicy food? Skip adding the green chilies. Add Kashmiri red chili powder and don't swap it with deggi mirch. Deggi Mirch is hot.
- Don't prefer subtly sweet gravies? Skip adding sugar.
- Make it with Onion & garlic: Add 2 tbsp. onion paste to the oil before adding the ginger paste. Sauté until the raw smell from onion disappears. Add about ½ tbsp. garlic paste along with ½ tbsp ginger paste. Or you can add 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste recipe made together. The rest of the recipe remains the same.
- Adjust the oil and spice level according to your preference.
Nutrition Facts
Doi Potol
Amount Per Serving
Calories 120
Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Protein 4g8%
* Read our privacy policy - Calorie information is provided as a courtesy only and should be leveraged as an estimate rather than a guarantee.Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition
Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g