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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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Prawn Khichuri - Chingri Khichuri




‘Khichuri’ or ‘Khichri’ has been a popular dish amongst Bengalis down the ages. It’s basically a mixture of rice and pulses with spices and is made in numerous variations. Monsoons are related to ‘Khichuri’ in Bengali life. An overcast morning sky with drizzling monsoon rain is the appropriate opportunity for a ‘Khichuri’ day that also meant an ‘easy’ day in the kitchen.

‘Khichuri’ in Bengal comes in different variations for different occasions. Often, it is cooked in a simple process in the Bengali household, complimented with a vegetable side dish or a fried fish. But today’s recipe is a ‘khichuri’ cooked with prawn sourced from a traditional family kitchen.

Ingredients:

Rice (Basmati) – 1 cup soaked in water for 30 mins.

Masoor dal (red lentil) – ½ cup soaked for 30 mins.

Onions – 2 finely sliced

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Cumin powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – ½ tsp

Ginger paste – 2tsp

Garlic paste – 1 tsp

Chilli powder – ½ tsp

Cinnamon – 2-inch broken

Cloves – 4-5

Bay Leaves – 2

Cardamom – 3-4 crushed

Green chillies – 5-6 slit

Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp chopped

Ghee 2 tbsp

Mustard oil – 2 tbsp

Water – 2 cups

Shrimp or Prawn – 250 g cleaned and deveined

Salt to taste

Instructions:

In a bowl mix prawns, ginger paste, garlic paste and chilli powder, season with salt and marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat ghee in a large pan, add whole spices and bay leaves and sauté for a minute.

Add onions and stir fry till golden. Mix in turmeric, cumin and coriander powder with little water and stir fry till all blends well.

Add rice and stir fry for 2 minutes, stir in masoor dal and stir fry for another 2 minutes.

Pour in water, and add salt to taste. Bring to a boil and let it boil for 5-6 minutes.

Lower heat and cover tightly with a lid until almost dry.

Heat a skillet separately and heat oil till it smokes. Add green chillis till they splutter.

Add the marinated prawn mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes until they turn pink.

Add the prawns to rice and dal, mix well and cook until water is absorbed.

Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves before serving.

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