Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Aloo Potoler Tarkari(Potato-parwal Curry)

Parwal or Parval , a vegetable belonging to the same family as squashes and cucumbers, also known as pointed Gourd or Potol (in Bengali). Coloquially, in India, it is often called as green potato. It is a popular vegetable in India, especially Northern and eastern India. Especially, bengalis are very fond of this vegetable. It's a summer vegetable. It is a good source of carbohydrates, vitamin A, and vitamin C. It also contains major nutrients and trace elements (magnesium, potassium, copper, sulphur, and chlorine) which are needed in small quantities, beneficial for human physiology.
The vegetable looks like tiny cucumbers, skin is little harder than cucumber, with tapering ends and it has faint, lighter green lines along it's length.
From the Ayurvedic point of view, parwal is a tridoshic vegetable, which is excellent for balancing all five fundamental elements. It is extremely easy to digest and it assimilates easily into your physiology.


Parwal or Potol is one of my favorite vegetable and today, I'll share with you bengali way of making Potato-Parwal Curry or Aloo potoler Tarkari..It is a very simple recipe, without much spices and goes well with rice and chapati


Ingredients :
Parwal/Potol : 10-12 nos.
Potato : 2-3 (medium)
Ginger paste : 1 tbsp.
Green chilli : 1 or 2(grated)
Tomato : 1 (medium)
Turmeric powder : 2 tsp.
Cumin powder : 2 tsp.
Coriander powder : 2 tsp.
Red chilli powder : 1 tsp.(optional)
Cumin seeds : 2 tsp.
Bay leaf : 1
Cardamom : 2-3
Cloves : 2-3
Cinnmaon : 1(1") stick
Oil : 3 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Garam Masala Powder : 1 tsp. (dry grind 1-2 of each cinnamon, cardamom & cloves in coffee mill)
Fresh Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method :
  • Wash each parwal. First, trim the edges and then peel the skin every 1/2" inch apart(as shown in the picture). Then cut in round shape or lengthwise. Cut the potatoes in medium size pieces in shape same as parwals.
  • Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a pan, fry parwal and potatoes one after another sprinkling little salt until light brown. Keep aside.
  • In the same oil, temper with bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon & cloves. As soon as they change their colour, add cumin seeds, stir for a minute, then add ginger-green chilli paste. Stir for a minute, when you smell the ginger flavour, add tomatoes.
  • Stir and mix well with ginger paste. When tomatoes turn soft, add powder spices mixed with 3 tbsp. water. Mix well and wait until oil seperates. Add fried vegetables and salt. Coat them well with the spices.
  • Add enough water (about 1 and 1/2 cup) to cook the veges. Parwal cooks fast. It cooks even faster than potatoes. Cover the lid and let it cook in medium flame. Remove from heat when veges are cooked and the gravy is slightly thick.
  • Sprinkle garam masala powder, mix well with curry. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Sending my favorite side dish to WYF : Side Dish Event @ Simple Indian Food - An Easy Cooking Blog

19 comments:

lubnakarim06 said...

Looks like tindora....Never had this combo before....Looks spicy and yum.

Ramya Vijaykumar said...

This combo is new, but great info on Parwal... Lovely cut parwal pic... Looks like a scrumptious dish...

Suparna said...

hi Indrani,
Aapnar blog khoob sundor :)
I love potol, the tarkari looks yumm..
TC

Uma said...

this is a new combo for me. looks so delicious.

delhibelle said...

I have been wanting true bong recipe for aloo potol curry, and now i've got one:)

Lakshmi said...

Somehow I have never like parwal :(
But that sabji looks good :)

Indrani said...

@kitchen flavours,
it is quite bigger than tindora & taste completely different..give it a try.it's very tasty
@ Ramya...it is really yummy, thanks
@ Suparna...thanks..sune bhalo laglo je tomar bhalo legeche

Indrani said...

Thanks, uma...it is really delicious at least to me
@ delhibelle.....I think I've read your mind..isn't it? try this out
@ LG...try this out..you won't regret...to get a good taste, u should fry parwal before cooking

Priya Suresh said...

Very new combination Indrani..looks delicious!

Malini Basu said...

thanks for visiting my blog....fyi yes I am a Bengali....nice recipe too......though I prefer to call it aloo-potoler dalna........

EC said...

Wow..its new to me too...thanks for your participation

Pavithra Elangovan said...

Good blog , first time here. Good tindora recipe.. will visit regularly

Unknown said...

Hi,

I ve been visiting your blog regularly off late...just wanted to tell you that your aloo potol curry is the best so far..it has helped the keralite me..to impress my keralite, but bong at heart husband..for whom Calcutta is his heaven and bengali food is the only cuisine close to his heart :)
Looking forward to more bengali recipes. Keep up the good work.
Regards,
Roshni

Nutbehari said...

Many congratulations Indrani. Malini is right and it is Dalna in our Family Could die for the dish every day. Please continue. Best wishes.

Paritosh Bhaduri Wigan England

Anonymous said...

Hi Indrani,
thank you so much for this recipe! Potol is one of my favourite dishes and i missed it so much last few years away I have been away from home. I made this recipe and it turned out just like how i remember it back home!
onek onek dhonnobad !
Debyani

Uma said...

Hi Indrani,

I followed your recipe and made this Aloo Potol Tarkari and it turned out really well. I had been craving this dish for sometime now and I was finally able to taste just what I had envisioned and remembered it to be. Thanks a lot!!!!

Yash said...

hi, just wanted to say THANKS for such an easy-to-follow recipe. I was a bit worried about the salt, but it came out fantastic!! I really love potols!ALU POTO

Anonymous said...

G8 receipe though i hv hd it a alot in dhaka dont know the english name so i can buy it here

Anonymous said...

Wow! A new recipe 4 me n im going 2 try it out.Thanks for the recipe.


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