Doi Potol (Dahi Parwal) - Popular Bengali Vegetarian Dish

"Doi Potol" or "Dahi Parwal" is a very famous Bengali dish.It is very easy to prepare with simple and commonly available spices. It has a salty, tangy and hint of sweet taste.It goes well with steamed rice.

Doi Potol

Ingredients:

• Bay leaf-- 2
• Star annies (optinal)
• Ginger paste -- 1/2 tsp
• Garlic paste -- 1/2 tsp
• Kashmiri red chilli pawder --1 tsp
• Refined oil -- 4-5 tbsp.(3-4 tbsp for frying and 1 tbsp for cooking)
• Green chilli paste -- 1/2 tsp
• Potol/Parwal/ Pointed gourds -- 300gms
• Cardamom -- 2-3
• Cloves --2-3 pods
• Salt to taste
• Onion paste -- 2 tbsp
• Sugar --1 tsp
• Tumeric powder- 1 tsp
• Doi/curd/ Yogurt -- 1/2 cup
• Cinnamon stick --1 inch

Method:

Marination:-

1. Clean and peel the potol/parwal and slit from all sides. Marinate them with some salt and tumeric powder.
2. Heat 4-5 tbsp of oil in a frying pan and fry the potol light golden brown. Drain oil and keep them aside.
3. Take another pan and heat 1 tbsp oil.
4. Then add Cloves- 3-4 pods
   1. Cardamon- 3
   2. Cinnamon - 1 inch
   3. Star annies (Optional)
   4. Bay leaf - 2
5. Fry for few seconds.
6. Add 2 tbsp onion paste. Stir well for 2-3 minutes.
   1. Now add 1 tsp of ginger paste.
   2. 1 tsp of Garlic paste.
   3. 1 tsp of green chilli paste.
7. Stir all together for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
   1. Now add 1/2 tsp of tumeric powder.
   2. 1/2 tsp of kashmiri red chilli powder
   3. Salt according to your taste.
8. Keep cooking for 2 minutes on low to medium flame.
9. Now add 1/2 cup plain curd + 1 tsp of sugar and stir continuously.
10. After that cover it with lid and cook for 5 minutes on low to medium flame.
11. After 5 minutes, all ingredients are cooked well.
12. At this point, add fried potol/parwal/pointed gourd and stir.
13. Add 1/2 cup of water and cook for another 2-3 minutes on low flame.
14. Oil is oozing from the side.Gravy becomes thickened.
15. Now the potol become soft and coated well with the gravy.
16. To enhance the flavour, add 1 tbsp of curd (Optional)
17. Turn off the flame and serve with steamed rice/pulao/ paratha.