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.

Smoked Tandoori Veggies

You think you need a tandoor for this preparation? 
NO! Keep reading :)

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower Florets - 2 cups
• Onions - 2 Medium sized
• Capsicum - 2 Medium sized
• Baby Potatoes - 10
• Cottage Cheese (Paneer) - 250 gms
• Coriander - For Garnishing
• Lemon - 1
• Salt - As per taste
• Oil - 2 tablespoons
• Chaat Masala - As per taste

For Marination:

• Curd - 1/2 kg
• Gramflour (Besan) - 2 tsps
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsps
• Green Chilli Paste - 1 tsp
• Salt - As per taste
• Edible Red Color - 2 pinches

Special Ingredients:
Coal - 1 medium sized
Oil - 2 tsps

Method:
In a pressure cooker cook the baby potatoes on medium flame & put it off right after the first whistle. After the steam is out take out the baby potatoes & cool them. Peel off the skin carefully without breaking the potatoes. It should be intact. Poke holes carefully in the potatoes with the help of a fork or a toothpick. Next dice the cottage cheese. Parboil the cauliflower & takeout of the water to cool it.
Prepare the marination paste by mixing all the ingredients together. Now, put the baby potatoes & the cauliflower florets & the cottage cheese in the paste & cover them completely with the coating & leave for an hour.
Meanwhile heat a non-stick pan & add oil. When ready add the diced onions & after 2 minutes add the diced capsicum. Saute till they turn translucent. Now add the cauliflower florets & the baby potatoes with the marination. Saute for another 3 minutes. Now, add the cottage cheese. Cover & cook & continue to saute every second minute for another 10 minutes. When they are done put off the flame & turn them into a bowl & keep aside. Heat the coal on an open flame to ignite it & then transfer it into a bowl. Carefully lift the bowl with the help of tongs & place it on top of the vegetables. Be ready with a lid to cover the larger bowl containing the vegetables. Pour the oil on the coal & immediately cover it with the lid. Leave it for 5 minutes. Then take out the smaller bowl & throw the coal. This is called Smoking which helps us in getting the tandoori like taste. Garnish with coriander & serve hot with chutney. Add the lemon extract & sprinkle some chaat masala for a tang.

Note:
1. You can use ghee instead of oil when smoking
2. You can try making just a tandoori paneer, tandoori gobhi or a tandoori aaloo
3. Best to make for evening snack or as a starter