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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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Red Lentil - Masoor Dal



Masoor Dal has been the most common lentil soup in a Bengali households through ages and generations. It is a quickie recipe for all occasions complimented with the typical Bengali mashed potato better known as ‘Aloo bhate’. The cooking is simple and quick without too many ingredients but the ‘Radhuni’ added optionally here makes a difference. Other variations are with Onion, Panch-phoron which will also be posted soon.

Ingredients:

Masoor dal or red lentil – one cup, washed and soaked for 30 min.

Green Chillies – 3 nos. slitted

Nigella seeds – ½ teaspoon slightly rubbed in hand for the aroma to release

Radhuni or wild celery seeds – ½ teaspoon (skip if not available as it is not found everywhere)

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon

Mustard oil – 1/4th cup

Cilantro - a bunch is optional

Instructions:

Add 2 cups of water to a pressure cooker.

Add the soaked red lentils to it, and adjust the water level so that one inch of water stays over the lentils.

Add ½ teaspoon of Salt.

Add ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder.

Add ½ teaspoon of mustard oil.

Close the lid of the pressure cooker.

Boil for one whistle and put off the heat.

Heat the mustard oil in a skillet.

When it smokes, put in the nigella seeds, Radhuni seeds and slitted green chillies.

Pour in the lentils from the pressure cooker,

Add the Turmeric powder.

Add the Salt to taste.

Boil everything to bring it to desired consistency.

Masoor Dal is preferred not too thick but slightly runny in Bengali cuisine.

Sprinkle with chopped Cilantro optionally.

Enjoy with steaming rice, a dollop of Ghee or ‘Gondhoraj’ lime and mashed potatoes (Aloo Bhate)

Gondhoraj lime


 

 

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