Pointed Gourd with Poppy Seeds / Potol Posto

Fresh Pointed Gourds / Potol - around 25 to 30
Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Mustard Oil - 2 tbsp
Nigella Seeds / Kalo Jeera - 1 tsp
Green Chili - 3
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Poppy Seeds /Posto - 4 tbsp
Sesame Seeds - 1 tbsp

Soak the poppy and sesame seeds in water for at least an hour or preferably overnight. Add a little water, a pinch of salt and 1 green chili and grind in a mixer / blender to make a thick wet paste. Keep aside.

Trim both ends of the potol and cut into 4 pieces, lengthwise. Sprinkle turmeric and salt and mix well.

Heat a skillet with 1 tbsp mustard oil. Add the potols and cook on medium flame till they get brown spots and are almost cooked. Remove from heat. Alternatively, this step can be omitted and the potol can be cooked along with onions.

In the same pan, add another tbsp of mustard oil. Add the nigella seeds and chopped green chilies. Then add the chopped onion and cook till the onion becomes soft.

Now add the cooked potol / uncooked and poppy seeds paste and mix well with the spices. Cook on high flame for a few minutes.

Adjust the salt. Cover the pan and cook on low flame till the potol is soft and completely cooked.

Serve with steamed brown rice and dal.

Adapted from http://www.bongcookbook.com/2012/07/potol-posto-stuff-dreams-are-made-of.html

Patol Dopyaza / Spicy Pointed Gourd with Onions

Adapted from http://usmasala.blogspot.com/2011/11/parvalpatal-dopyaza.html

Fresh tender Patol / Pointed Gourd - 15
Peanut Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch (optional)
Bay Leaf - 1
Onion - 1, medium size, thinly sliced
Tomato - 1, thinly sliced
Ginger - 1 tsp, minced
Homemade Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Roasted Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Turmeric

Trim the ends of the patol and cut each patol lengthwise into 4 pieces. Sprinkle some turmeric and salt and mix well and keep aside for a few minutes.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet. Add the sliced patol and sate till they are golden brown and completely cooked. Remove and keep aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the skillet. Add the cumin seeds. Once they start sizzling, add the hing and bay leaf. Then add the sliced onion and a little salt. Cook till the onion gets soft.

Add the grated ginger, a pinch of turmeric, red chili powder and sliced tomato and cook till oil separates.

Add the roasted coriander powder and the cooked patol.Mix everything well. Sprinkle some garam masala on top and cook for a few minutes more.

Serve with steamed brown rice and dal.

Alu Potol, with tomato and cheese

Adapted from http://ushnish.blogspot.com/2011/07/patol-alu-dalna-in-cheese-parmal.html

Potol / Pointed Gourd - 10, each cut into 3 square pieces
Red Potato - 1, cubed
Tomato - 1, big, peeled and chopped
Onion - 1, finely chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
Garlic - 2 cloves, grated
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt
Cheese Cubes - 2
Peanut Oil - 2 tbsp
Bay Leaf - 1
Cardamom - 2 pods
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Cloves - 5
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Water - 1 tbsp

Mix the ground spices - red chili, turmeric, cumin and coriander with a little water and keep aside.

Mix a little salt and turmeric to the cubed potato and potol pieces and marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat a tbsp of oil in a skillet. Add the potato and saute till they are light brown on all sides.

In the same oil, add the potol pieces and saute till the potol is cooked and become light brown. Remove and keep aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the skillet. Add bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds.

Add the chopped onion and cook till the onion gets soft.

Add ginger, garlic and the chopped tomato. Cook on low fire till the tomato is completely cooked and releases oil. Sprinkle a little water if required while cooking the tomato.

Add the masala paste and the fried potato and cook for a few minutes. Add cheese, sugar, a cup of water and fried potol and stir till the cheese melts. Cover and cook for a few minutes more till the gravy thickens and oil floats on top. Serve hot with steamed rice or puris.

Potol Bhaja / Crispy Pan Fried Pointed Gourd

Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2010/06/bhaja-muger-dal-crispy-fried-parwal.html

Patol - 20 (small), sliced thinly lengthwise into 4 to 6 pieces
Salt
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Brown Rice Powder - 1 tbsp
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Mix the sliced patol with salt, red chilli powder and brown rice powder and marinate for a few minutes.

Heat oil in a large flat saute pan.

Add the sliced patol in a single layer. Stir after a few minutes and cook till the slices become crispy and golden brown.

Serve with steamed brown rice and dal.

Alu Potoler Dalna / Pointed Gourd Curry

Adapted from http://gouriguhas.blogspot.com/2010/06/aloo-potol-er-dalna-curried-potatoes.html

Patol - 15 (small), cut into cubes
Red Potato - 2 (small), cut into cubes
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Bay Leaves - 3 (big)
Olive Oil - 3 tbsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Roasted Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Salt
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Greek Yoghurt - 2 tbsp

Beat the yoghurt well. Mix turmeric, red chilli, cumin and coriander powder. Keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a big saute pan. Add the cubed patol. Fry till the patol starts changing color and becomes light brown. Remove from oil and keep aside.

In the same pan, add remaining 2 tbsp oil. Put the cumin seeds and bayleaves. Add the cubes potatoes and cook till they are half done.

Remove the pan from heat and add the yoghurt masala mixture, salt and sugar. Stir continuously. Bring the pan back to heat. Cook till oil starts separating from the masala.

Add the fried patol and 2 cups of water. Cook till the vegetables are completely cooked and the gravy reaches desired consistency.