Patol-alur Tarkari

This is a traditional, popular, common, daily, homely Bengali vegetable curry. The description may sound too long with too many adjectives but this is really simple and quick to cook. Patol is pointed gourd. Alu means potato. So, this is a curry of pointed gourd and potato.

Ingredients:

Pointed gourd – 250 gm
Potato – one medium
Cumin seeds – one fourth of a tea spoon
Coriander seeds (optional)
Green chilly
Bay leaf -- one
Ginger powder – a pinch
Turmeric powder – half a teaspoon
Cumin powder – one tea spoon
Mustard oil (or sun flower oil)


How to do it:



Peel and cut ponted gourds as in the picture above
Heat mustard oil in a pan until the smell goes and the colour changes.
Add bay leaf torn into two pieces, cumin seeds, chopped green chilly.
Add potato immediately. Sauté a little till it turns light brown.
Add pointed gourd. Add salt. Stir well to mix. Let it sauté until the fragrant smell of fried pointed gourd starts coming.
Add turmeric, cumin powder, ginger powder. Mix well by stirring. Stir and cook for about ten minutes. Add water. Cover and let it cook till the vegetables are softened.



Serve with steamed rice.