Potoler Dolma is a traditional Bengali recipe of stuffed pointed gourd in spicy gravy. It is a pure vegetarian recipe of Dolma with cooked chana dal stuffing. In this recipe the quality of the pointed gourd plays a major role. Though the recipe is quintessentially Bengali but it borrowed its name from Mediterranean cuisine. The word `Dolma` generally refers to Turkish food where stuffed vegetables. Potol is pointed gourd and is available during the summer. So in the present form the stuffed pointed gourds are being cooked in light gravy so that it can be eaten with plain rice.

Ingredients:

•Pointed gourd: 6 pcs
•Bengal gram(chana dal): 1/2 cup
•Scraped coconut: 2 tbsp
•Ginger Paste: 3 tsp
•Coriander powder: 1 tsp
•Cumin powder: 1 tsp
•Chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
•Tomato: 1 large
•Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
•Garam masala powder: 1/2 tsp
•Salt to taste
•Oil: 2 tbsp

For Tempering

•Cumin seeds: 1and 1/2 tsp
•Bay leaf: 1
•Green chillies: 2
•Cloves: 2
•Cinnamon: 1/2 inch piece

For Bhuna Masala:

•Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
•Coriander seeds: 1 tsp
•Fennel seeds: 1/2 tsp
•Whole dry red chilli: 1

Method:

•Wash the lentils till the water runs clear. Soak it for 15 minutes.
•Then boil it with a pinch of turmeric and water till soft and mushy.
•Drain the water completely and immediately mash it to get an almost smooth paste. It should be soft and should form a loose dough.

Prepare the Pointed gourds:

•Cut one pointed edge of the gourd.
•With a knife lightly scrape the skin of the gourds.
•Now using the back of a spoon, scoop out the soft flesh and seeds. Be careful not to puncture it, at the end the potol should have a perfectly hollow shell to stuff.

Prepare the Stuffing:

•Heat a pan and dry roast the bhuna masala ingredient on low flame till they are nicely browned.
•Pound the masala in a mortar and pestle for a coarse powder. Keep aside.
•Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.
•Add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and 1 chopped green chilli.
•Once they start to splutter add 1 tsp of ginger paste and a pinch of salt. Fry for a minute.
•Mix in the boiled and mashed lentils.
•Add salt, a pinch of sugar and little turmeric. Cook on low flame till everything is mixed together.
•Add the bhuna masala and the scraped coconut. Mix, adjust seasoning and keep aside.
•Once the stuffing is cool to touch stuff the fried gourd shells.
•Heat a pan with oil for frying the gourds. Shallow fry the potol till golden brown on all sides.

Prepare the Curry:

•To make the curry sauce mix in the rest of the ginger paste, cumin-coriander powder, chilli powder in 3 tbsp water. Keep aside.
•Heat 1 tbsp oil and temper with cumin seeds, whole cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and chopped green chilly.
•Once they splutter add the soaked spice paste. Add a pinch of salt and cook on low till oil start to separate.
•Add the chopped tomato and little salt to taste and cook on low till everything mixes together and oil separates.
•Then add 1 cup warm water. Bring it to a boil and then carefully place the stuffed gourds in the gravy side by side. Cover and let it simmer on low for 8-10 minutes.
•When the gravy thickens sprinkle the garam masala powder and serve hot with plain rice.