Spicy Aloo Parwal / Potatoes & Pointed Gourd in Gravy

Arrgh! Yet another gourd!?!

This is exactly how I exclaimed when I saw this dish cooked by my mother in law. But what a tasty dish this is!!!

Aloo Parwal is a famous dish & often made at home. Now, because I demand.

This dish can be made in 15 mts & is a part of the main course meal. 

It is one of those recipes which makes me drool & eat the potatoes which I try & avoid otherwise.

To be able to make this mouthwatering dish you need:

• Pointed Gourd (Parwal) - 8 nos.
• Potatoes - 4 nos.
• Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 2 tsp
• Whole red chillies - 3 nos
• Bay leaves - 2
• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder (Dhaniya) - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
• Asafoetida powder - A pinch
• Salt - As per taste
• Sugar - 2 tsp

Method:
Wash & par boil the potatoes. You could pressure cook them till a whistle or two & take it off flame. Once they cool down peel off the skin & keep aside.

Scrape the pointed gourd to remove any dirt & wash them. Now cut them lengthwise & then into halves. So the pointed gourd are big chunks now.

Take a bowl & add all the masalas, salt & 1 cup of water. Prepare a watery paste.

Ready a pressure cooker on medium flame, pour oil & increase the flame to high. When the oil gets smoking hot put jeera, whole red chillies, bay leaves & sugar. Now, add the cut pointed gourd to the oil & let it cook on high flame till it starts changing colour. Lower the flame to medium now & add the potatoes.

Add the watery masala paste to the veggies & saute till oil separates. Increase the flame again now.

After a few minutes add another cup of water cover the cooker with its lid & let it cook till 2 whistles.

Once it cools down, transfer it to a serving bowl & garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

I break the potatoes with my hand which gives uneven chunks & makes the dish more enjoyable. All you need to do is hold a potato in your hand & apply pressure as if making a fist. This will break the potatoes.
It is fun. You could ask your child to help you with this. It is great fun for them.

Note:

• It is best eaten with rice & dal.
• You could increase or decrease the gravy according to your liking.
• If the gravy is more than required then take a potato out of the gravy, mash it well then mix it into the gravy to thicken it.