aloo potol recipe with step by step pics. aloo potoler dalna is a delicious bengali curry recipe made with aloo (potatoes) and potol (parwal or pointed gourds). parwal is one of the veggies i like and apart from this dalna, i also make a simple parwal fry, potol posto, and a punjabi aloo parwal sabzi.
i make aloo potol dalna in the same way i make aloo phulkopir dalna (cauliflower potato curry). both these gravy recipes taste good with some chapatis or phulkas.
this is a not a quick recipe and takes some more time as compared to curry recipes where everything is added in a pot and then cooked. in this potol recipe, the veggies are pan fried in mustard oil first and then added to the gravy. this method gives a completely different taste.
for best results, i would suggest to use mustard oil. the pungency of mustard oil cannot be matched by any other oil.
a few more vegetarian gems from bengali cuisine which i have shared earlier are:
you can serve aloo potoler dalna with chapatis, parathas or steamed rice.
potol recipe or aloo potol recipe below:
potol recipe
ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
for frying:
- 250 grams parwal or 7 to 8 parwal (potol or pointed gourds)
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric for parwal
- ⅛ teaspoon salt for parwal
- 250 grams potatoes or 2 medium to large potatoes
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric for potatoes
- ⅛ teaspoon salt for potatoes
- 3 tablespoons mustard oil for frying
for bengali garam masala:
- 1 inch cinnamon (dalchini)
- 2 to 3 cloves (lavang)
- 2 green cardamoms
for curry or gravy:
- 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 2 medium tomatoes or ¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes
- 1 green chili - slit
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger or ginger paste or 1 inch ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- ½ tablespoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar or add as required
- salt as required
- ½ to ⅔ cup water or as required
- 1 teaspoon ghee - optional
how to make potol recipe
making bengali garam masala:
in a dry grinder or coffee grinder take seeds of green cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves. if using cassia then use 1 inch of it.
grind to a fine powder. you can also crush these spices in a mortar-pestle. remove the bengali garam masala and keep aside.
chopping and cleaning potol:
firstly rinse 250 grams parwal (pointed gourds) very well in water. then peel them. you can even lightly scrape of the skin. if you want.
chop the parwal in two to three pieces. there are seeds and pith in the parwal. if the seeds are mature and large, then vertically slice the parwal in two parts. scrape the seeds and pith and then chop. if the seeds are tiny and tender, then you don’t need to remove seeds and the pith.
add ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder and ⅛ teaspoon salt. adding both turmeric and salt is optional and can be skipped. mix well.
frying potol and aloo:
on a low to medium flame heat 3 tablespoons mustard oil in a kadai or pan and let it come to its smoking point.
reduce the flame and then add the parwal or potol pieces.
mix well and begin to fry the parwal on a medium-low to medium flame. fry them in batches.
fry the potol stirring often for even cooking.
when the potol is getting fried. rinse, peel and also slice potatoes in cubes. sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt and mix well. adding both turmeric and salt is optional and can be skipped.
fry parwal pieces till light golden. you just need to fry them till they are almost cooked.
remove with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper towels.
now add the potato cubes in the same pan.
stirring them often fry for even cooking till you see golden spots on the edges and the potatoes are almost cooked.
remove with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper towels.
making aloo potol curry:
in the same oil, now add 1 tej patta and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. let cumin seeds splutter.
now add ¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes and stir.
add 1 slit green chili and 1 teaspoon minced ginger or ginger paste.
mix well and begin to sauté tomatoes on a low to medium flame.
sauté till the tomatoes soften and turn mushy.
next add 1 tablespoon coriander powder, ½ tablespoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
mix and sauté for a minute on low flame.
add ½ to ⅔ cup water. mix well.
now add the fried potol (parwal) and aloo.
season 1 teaspoon sugar and salt as per taste. mix again.
cover pan with lid and simmer on medium-low flame for 6 to 7 minutes. in between do check the aloo potol gravy and if the curry looks dry then you can add some more water.
simmer till the aloo potol curry thickens a bit. the potatoes and parwal will also be completely cooked within 6 to 7 minutes.
once the veggies are done, add the ground masala of cloves, cinnamon and cardamoms.
then add 1 teaspoon ghee. adding ghee is optional and can be skipped.
mix well and switch off flame.
serve aloo potoler dalna with chapatis, parathas or steamed rice. you can garnish with some coriander leaves also while serving.
how to make aloo potoler dalna or potol recipe:
a) making bengali garam masala:
1. in a dry grinder or coffee grinder take seeds of 2 green cardamoms, 1 inch cinnamon and 2 to 3 cloves. if using cassia then use 1 inch of it.
2. grind to a fine powder. you can also crush these spices in a mortar-pestle. remove the bengali garam masala and keep aside.
b) preparation and frying potol and aloo:
3. firstly rinse 250 grams parwal (pointed gourds) very well in water. then peel them. you can even lightly scrape of the skin. if you want. chop the parwal in two to three pieces. there are seeds and pith in the parwal. if the seeds are mature and large, then vertically slice the parwal in two parts. scrape the seeds and pith and then chop. if the seeds are tiny and tender, then you don’t need to remove seeds and the pith.
4. add ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder and ⅛ teaspoon salt. adding both turmeric and salt is optional and can be skipped.
5. mix well.
6. on a low to medium flame heat 3 tablespoons mustard oil in a kadai or pan and let it come to its smoking point.
7. reduce the flame and then add the parwal or potol pieces.
8. mix well and begin to fry the parwal on a medium-low to medium flame. fry them in batches.
9. fry the potol stirring often for even cooking.
10. so when the potol is getting fried. rinse, peel and also slice 2 medium to large potatoes (250 grams) in cubes. sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt and mix well. adding both turmeric and salt is optional and can be skipped.
11. fry parwal pieces till light golden. you just need to fry them till they are almost cooked.
12. remove with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper towels.
13. now add the potato cubes in the same pan.
14. stirring them often fry for even cooking till you see golden spots on the edges and the potatoes are almost cooked.
15. remove with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper towels.
making aloo potol curry:
16. in the same oil, now add 1 tej patta and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds.
17. let cumin seeds splutter.
18. now add ¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes and stir.
19. add 1 slit green chili and 1 teaspoon minced ginger or ginger paste.
20. mix well and begin to sauté tomatoes on a low to medium flame.
21. sauté till the tomatoes soften and turn mushy.
22. next add 1 tablespoon coriander powder, ½ tablespoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
23. mix and sauté for a minute on low flame.
24. add ½ to ⅔ cup water.
25. mix well.
26. now add the fried potol (parwal or pointed gourds) and aloo (potatoes).
27. season 1 teaspoon sugar and salt as per taste.
28. mix again.
29. cover pan with lid and simmer on medium-low flame for 6 to 7 minutes. in between do check the aloo potol gravy and if the curry looks dry then you can add some more water.
30. simmer till the aloo potol curry thickens a bit. the potatoes and parwal will also be completely cooked within 6 to 7 minutes.
31. once the veggies are done, add the ground masala of cloves, cinnamon and cardamoms.
32. then add 1 teaspoon ghee. adding ghee is optional and can be skipped.
33. mix well and switch off flame.
34. serve aloo potol er dalna with chapatis, parathas or steamed rice. you can garnish with some coriander leaves also while serving.
