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Stuffed Pointed gourd - traditional Bengali Potoler Dolma

‘Dolma’ is a Turkish word meaning ‘stuffed’ relating to Ottoman cuisine. It is generally made with a filling of meat, seafood, rice, and fruits or combining them together stuffed inside a vegetable or leaf. Historically stuffed vegetable dishes have been part of Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries. But it is unknown how and when this cuisine entered the Bengali kitchen. If we look back at our culinary history, we find its mention in Bengali kitchens much before the independence of India in 1947. ‘Dolma’ in Bengali kitchen is mostly done with the pointed gourd or ‘Potol’ as it is known in Bengali. The ‘Potol’ is scooped out of its inner seeds and contents, keeping the outer layer intact. A filling cooked with prawns or minced meat or fish is stuffed inside. Then it’s cooked into a gravy, which is called in Bengali as ‘Potoler Dolma’. Presented today is the ‘Potoler Dolma’ prepared traditionally in Bengali kitchens. Ingredients: Pointed Gourd ‘Potol’ large ones – 400 g washed an
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Filipini chicken from the Tagores kitchen - Thakurbarir Ranna



The Tagore family has been one of the most eminent families in India, not only in Calcutta and that prominence is not only for Rabindranath Tagore alone.  His grandfather, Prince Dwarkanath Tagore had been one of the most prominent businessmen of British India. He was educated in the West in those days and played a pioneering role in setting up a string of commercial ventures—banking, insurance and shipping companies— in partnership with British traders. Tagore's company managed large zamindari estates spread across today's West Bengal and Odisha states in India, and in Bangladesh.

My purpose is not to elaborate on his achievements but to delve into the kitchen of the famous Tagores, which itself is a depository of scrumptious Bengali cuisine with the influence of many cultures, local and overseas. These cuisines are collected and curated as ‘Thakurbarir Ranna’ in a book by Purnima Thakur. I shall post a few of those recipes of the yesteryears to revive the glory of the Bengali kitchen.

Ingredients:

Chicken – 1 kg washed and cleaned

Coconut milk – 1 ¼ cup

Onions – 3 sliced

Butter – 2 tbsp heaped

Garlic – 1.5 tbsp

Salt to taste

Sugar to taste

Black pepper powder – 2 tsp

Vinegar – 1 tbsp

Vegetable oil – 1 cup

Instructions:

Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and mix well with the garlic paste, black pepper powder and salt. Marinate for at least an hour.

Place a skillet on heat and put adequate oil, when the oil gets heated add little sugar.

When the sugar caramelizes add the sliced onion. Fry until onions turn brown and form beresta*

Remove this skillet with the browned onions from the heat.

In another skillet place the marinated chicken before putting it to heat. Add enough water so that the chicken gets cooked and the water too dries up.

Start cooking on high flame and boil the marinated chicken, when it starts boiling, lower the heat to medium and boil.

When the water reduces, add the butter and gently stir, let it simmer for a while.

When the chicken gets glazed, add the coconut milk.

Sprinkle the salt and sugar to taste, fried onion ‘beresta’ atop the chicken and let it cook, add the vinegar.

Filipini chicken is ready, serve it with bread or parota.

*Crispy Fried Onions (Beresta) are thinly sliced onions deep-fried in oil till golden brown and crisp

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