Paneer aar Alu Parwal/Parval/Patoler Dalna (Paneer with Potato and Pointed Gourd)

Patol/Parwal/Parval/Pointed Gourd is one very common summer vegetable. As a result in my childhood I have seen this vegetable almost everyday at least for one meal.  It would range from a simple bhaja (fried patol with salt and turmeric) to alu patoler tarkari (gravy with alu and patol) or it would be patol posto (patol made with poppy seed paste), patol chacchari (patol in mustard paste) and so many to name a few. The gravy version of patol also had so many variations.

Here, we do not get such fresh patols as that of Kolkata's but I try to bring it every week. So, this time to bring a variety I added some Paneer to the traditional Alu Patoler Dalna. It was simple and all of us loved it.

Ingredients:

Patol/ Parwal:  10-12
Potato:  2 medium
Paneer: 200 gms
1 tomato  medium
vegetable oil 3-4 table spoons
2 slit green chilies
1 tea spoon garam masala

For tempering:

1 tea spoonwhole jeera
2-3 tejpata
2 lal mirch (whole)
2-3 cloves
2-3 cardamoms
3-4 black pepper

For Spice paste

Ginger paste 1 table spoon
salt as per
turmeric
jeera powder
red chili powder
1/2 tea spoon sugar

Preparation

Cut the parwals from both the ends and then scrape the skin. Breadthwise chop the parwals into half.

scraped parwals

Peel the potatoes. First make it half lengthwise then give another cut lengthwise. Now cut into small pieces keeping a size and shape similarity with the parwals.
Cut the paneer into pieces. Boil water and a little milk. Keep paneer in this solution for 10 minutes.
Chop tomatoes in small pieces

Method

Take a deep Fry Pan. Heat 3 table spoons of oil. Add parwals with a pinch of salt and turmeric. Reduce the flame and cover the pan; Let the parwals get fried nicely.
After 5 minutes open the lid and add the potatoes and stir; cover again. It will take  8-10 minutes for frying both parwal and potato and you will have to reduce and increase the flame time to time.
Once fried nicely remove alu and parwal from the pan and keep aside.

Temper the oil with 1 tea spoonwhole jeera, 2-3 tejpata, 2 lal mirch (whole), 2-3 cloves, 2-3 cardamoms and 3-4 black pepper

When the spices starts to splatter add the chopped tomato.Let it be cooked for 2-3 minutes.
In the meantime prepare the spice paste.: In a small bowl take 1 tea spoon of ginger paste, 1 table spoon of jeera powder, 1/2 tea spoon of  turmeric, salt to taste, 1/2 tea spoon of sugar; to this add some water and make a smooth paste.
After the tomato is cooked add this paste and stir. When you see that oil is coming out from the spices add the potatoes and the parwals. Mix them well in the spice for 5 minutes.

Now add water (the quantity is as per the curry you want).  I have added 1 and half medium glass of water. Remember the curry will neither be too runny nor too dry. Now cover the pan and you can rest for 10 minutes. :)

After the 10 minutes come back and open the lid. Add the paneer.

After 2-3 minutes switch off the gas and add the slit green chilies and 1 tea spoon of garam masala.

paneer alu patol-er dalna

Your  Paneer alu patoler dalna is ready. Close the lid and keep it for sometime then serve with roti, chawal, daliya whatever.