Durga Puja/Navratri fever has gripped over the populace in most parts of India and especially in the eastern parts of India in the states of West Bengal, Assam, parts of Odisha and Bihar with our most powerful mother goddess Maa Shakti, Durga being worshipped in all her possible forms throughout the country. In Bengal, Durga Puja is the major festival for which Bengalis (natives of Bengal) wait with baited breath round the year. For a Bengali, this festival is a festival of joy and a culinary fiesta with a vast range of tasty delights from pure vegetarian bhoger khichuri to the out and out mutton curry that are all enjoyed at this time of merriment. Perhaps only we bengalis along with one or two other communities are the ones in the entire India who indulge in non-vegetarian food during this time of Navratri. A major chunk of the population turns pure vegetarian especially during the nine days of Navratri i.e. till Maha Navami, after which you are allowed to have non-vegetarian food. However bengali meal has many classic no onion garlic pure vegetarian items like shukto, shaak, laabra, chholar daal/ sonamoog/mushuri(masoor) daal, alubhaja, begun bhaja or beguni, bati chorchori, potoler dolma, aaloo posto, potol posto, jhinge posto, mochar ghonto, beguner kaliya, dhokar daalnaa, chhanaar daalnaa, phoolkopir daalna, tomato-khejur/ anarosh/jolpai/kaacha aamer chaatni/tok and many more that are much loved during special occassions such as pujo or rituals when non-vegetarian fare is strictly prohibited. I love the bengali vegetarian dishes which are totally without onion and garlic and has age-old, tried and tested culinary combinations and tastes. A typical bengali vegetarian thaali includes at least 3 or 4 of these items that can totally make you forget about your need for any non-vegetarian dish in the thaali. One of my favourite in this list is the old bengali classic, Potoler Dolma or Potoler Dorma, a gravy-based curry of stuffed pointed gourds or Potol or Parwal. Though, I personally don’t like the taste of potol at all, yet I accept it wholeheartedly when Potol is made this way or have the vegetable only when it is made this way. Whether you love this vegetable or not, you may try to cook and have this vegetable with this recipe of my aunt which is really awesome. If you have come to know about this for the first time, I am sure you are going to like it. I have shared the recipe for you here as given below :

RECIPE :

Ingredients :

1. Pointed gourd (Potol) – 5 to 6.

A) For Stuffing :

1. Scrapings from the inside of gourd.
2. Grated paneer – 2 tbs.
3. Grated coconut – 1 tbs.
4. Roasted groundnut/peanut (coarsely ground) – 1 tbs
5. Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp/1 tsp.
6. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp.
7. Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp.
8. Green chillies (finely chopped) – 1 or 2.
9. Fenugreek seeds – 1/4th tsp.
10. Dry red chilli – 1
11. Mustard oil or any neutral oil – 1 tsp.
12. Sugar – 1/4th tsp.
13. Salt – to taste
14. Chaat masala (optional)- 1/2 tsp.

B) For gravy :

1. Dry red chilli – 1 chilli.
2. Bay leaf – 1.
3. Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp.
4. Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp.
5. Ginger (grated or paste) – 1/2 tsp.
6. Grated cococnut – 1 tbs.
7. Plain curd – 1 tsp.
8. Coriander powder – 1 tsp.
9. Cumin powder – 1 tsp.
10. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp.
11. Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp.
12. Sugar – 1/4th tsp.
13. Salt – to taste.
14. Mustard oil – 2 tbs.
15. Bengali garam masala powder (ground cinnamon & cardamom) – 1/2 tsp.

C) For deep frying :

1. Gram flour (besan) – 1 tbs.
2. Salt – a pinch.
3. Red chilli powder – a pinch.
4. Mustard oil – 2-3 tbs.
5. Water – 1 tbs.

Preparation :

1. Scrape out the upper rough covering of the pointed gourd using a scraper or knife.
2. Cut the two ends slightly.
3. Using a knife or back of a spoon, scrape out the inside wall of the gourd to make a space or hole inside for the stuffing.
4. Collect the scrapings from inside the gourd in a bowl and keep aside.
5. In a pan, add some water and a pinch of salt to it.
6. Add the scraped and hollowed pointed gourds in the plan, cover and steam for around 5 minutes to cook the outer covering.
7. Switch off the flame, bring it down and take out the gourds gently in a plate or tray.
8. Keep them aside and let them cool.
9. For making the stuffing, heat oil in a pan.
10. Add the dry red chilli & sauté till it turns dark.
11. Add the fenugreek seeds and let them splatter.
12. Add the scrapings of gourd, paneer and grated coconut and stir to mix.
13. Add roasted peanut powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and chaat masala and stir to mix them together so that the spices blend completely in the mixture.
14. Add chopped green chillies, sugar and salt, mix and sauté the mixture for 3-4 minutes.
15. Turn of the flame and keep the mixture for stuffing.
16. Take the previously steamed gourd casings, one at a time and start filling the stuffing inside the hollowed gourd casing from one end using your fingers.
17. Fill all the casings with your stuffing and keep on a plate.
18. In a bowl, take gram flour, salt, red chilli powder and mix them together. Add little water to make a creamy batter.
19. Smear this batter over the stuffed gourds and put some extra batter at the open end of the stuffed gourds in order to seal the stuffing inside while you deep fry them. The batters at the open ends seal the gourds so that the stuffing doesn’t come out.
20. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the stuffed gourds over a low flame till they turn slightly brownish in colour. Do not over fry it as it may turn the gourds soggy and will decrease its taste.
21. Fry one or two gourds at a time with caution, especially if you are doing it for the first time.
22. Keep the stuffed, fried gourds on a plate or tray for preparing the gravy later.
23. Heat oil in a pan, add dry red chilli & bay leaf and sauté till the chilli turns dark.
24. Add cumin & fenugreek seeds and let them splatter.
25. Add ginger paste and sauté the mixture over a low flame.
26. Add grated coconut, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and sauté the mixture (Note: You may add little boiled and mashed potato at this step to make the gravy slightly dense or you may also use leftover stuffing prepared in the previous steps) over a low flame until a nice, mild aroma of the sautéed mixture starts coming out.
27. Add salt & sugar and mix well.
28. Add curd and mix well.
29. Add water to the mixture to make a thick gravy. The gravy should be dense but flowy.
30. Add garam masala powder and cook for a minute.
31. Now, add the stuffed gourds to the gravy, mix and bring the mixture to boil by covering for few seconds or a minute. (Note: Do not overcook as the stuffing may come out). 
32. Uncover and simmer for few seconds more.
33.  Switch off the flame and your lip-smacking potoler dolma is ready to be served. Serve with freshly steamed rice, pulao or luchi and enjoy the richness of its flavour.