By Doi Potol (Dahi Parwal) is a mild and creamy popular Bengali dish where potol or pointed gourd is cooked in yogurt sauce spiced and flavoured with warm whole spices. A bowl of doi potol and hot steaming rice and I am all sorted.
Hi guys!
Hope all of you are safe and healthy and Happy!!!
So few days back I had visited our local Indian grocery store almost after 2 months. Finally I was so happy to see some desi vegetables there. I got hold of some vegetable like parwal, bottle gourd, mooli (raddish) and 1 small packet of fresh curry leaves and some spicy green chillies. Yayyy…
Happy me indeed!!!
These potols/parwals were medium sized and they were so fresh. I immediately thought of making Doi potol (Pointed gourd in Spiced Yogurt) with these lush parwals. It is a “Niramish Dish“, no onion or garlic or tomato is added in this dahi parwal recipe. It is cooked with minimal dry spices and some fragrant whole spices in mustard oil yet it has such beautiful flavours.
Another parwal dish that I absolutely love and adore is this Potol Narkel Posto.
What ingredients are used to make Doi Potol?
Doi potol uses very few ingredients. Let’s have a look at the list below.
- Potol/parwal/pointed gourd.
- Yogurt
- Ginger
- Green chillies
- Bay leaves
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Green Cardamoms
- Turmeric Powder
- Chilli powder
- Coriander powder
- Cumin powder
- Salt
- Sugar
- Mustard oil/ Veg oil
Dahi parwal is traditionally cooked in mustard oil, but if it is unavailable you can make it in any neutral oil like vegetable or sunflower oil.
Here are some delicious vegetarian recipes that you can try.
Doi Begun (Eggplant cooked in Spiced Yogurt)
Begun Pora (Bengali Baingan Bharta)
Bhindi Masala- Spicy Okra Curry
Dahi Parwal
Doi Potol | Dahi Parwal | Pointed gourd in Spiced Yogurt
Equipment
- large thick bottomed pan
Ingredients
- 10-12 Potol/parwal/pointed gourd washed
- 3/4 cup Yogurt
- 2 tsp Ginger grated
- 2-3 Green chillies slit
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2-1 tsp Chilli powder (Kashmiri or Degi)
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 inch Cinnamon Roughly pounded in pestle motor
- 3-4 Green Cardamoms Roughly pounded in pestle motor
- 3-4 Cloves Roughly pounded in pestle motor
- 1/4 tsp Bengali garam masala powder
- Salt as per taste
- 1-2 tsp Sugar/sweetener
- 3-4 tbsp Mustard oil
Instructions
- In a bowl beat the yogurt along with 1/2 cup of water and keep aside.
- In another small bowl mix together chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder with 1/4 cup of water and keep it aside.
- Wash and peel the pointed gourd diagonally and alternatively (as shown in the picture), and prick it with a fork. Marinate it with little salt and turmeric and keep it aside for 5 minutes.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large pan on medium heat. When hot fry the parwal until it’s soft and golden brown. Drain and keep aside.
- Add the rest of the oil in the same pan or kadhai on high heat until it’s smoking hot. Then reduce the heat to medium low. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf and fry for few seconds.
- When the aroma arises from the spices add the ginger paste and green chilies and fry for 1 to 2 minutes stirring frequently.
- Now pour in the masala paste and sauté 1-2 minutes.
- When you see the oil seeping out from the masala, lower the heat to the lowest setting.
- Now add 2 tbsp of yogurt stirring continuously. This will slowly reduce the cooking temperature and this will avoid the yogurt from curdling. Add 2 more tbsps of yogurt stirring continuously. Then slowly pour in the yogurt and make sure you stir continuously.
- Now add salt and sugar and mix.. Cover and cook on lowest heat for 5-6 minutes. Stirring intermittently.
- Then slowly add in the fried parwal/potol and mix it well with the yogurt sauce. Check the seasoning add salt/ sugar if required.
- Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until the parwal is cooked through and oil see through the gravy. Finally stir in the bengali garam masala powder and cook for further 1 minute and take it off the heat.
- Finally sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves and serve it hot with rice or roti.
I hope you enjoy this Doi Potol as much as we do!
I would love to see your creations. If you have tried this recipe, just click a picture and don’t forget to tag me @gastronomicbong or #gastronomicbong on Instagram or on Facebook.
Bon Appetit!!!
Stay Positive! Stay Safe!
angiesrecipes
May 12, 2020I have never seen those pointed gourds here…this looks so tasty!
Arpita@Gastronomic Bong
May 17, 2020Oh yes Angie.. they really are very delicious!!