Growing up, my mother had this uncanny ability to prepare potol chingri without any recipe in front of her. It is one of the most sought-after Bengali dishes, prepared with pointed gourd and prawns in a mild gravy. To this day, I prepare it the same old way, and it never fails to surprise me with its incredible taste.
Quick Facts:
- I grew up eating potol chingri, a classic Bengali favorite.
- I fell in love the very first time I tasted it.
- I love its sweet, slightly spicy and tangy taste.
- I usually serve this hot with warm steamed rice or soft luchi.
- From marinating prawns to plating the dish, it usually takes me almost an hour to make this dish.
- Whenever I want a change, I turn to potol bhaja, chingri macher malaikari, doi maach, aloo potol, or potol posto, all equally close to my heart.
The Ingredients:
- Pointed Gourd: 400 gms (peeled & cut into roundels)
- Prawns: 300 gms (cut and cleaned properly)
- Potatoes: 2 medium sized (cut into cubes)
- Onion: 1 (finely sliced)
- Onion-Ginger-Garlic Paste: Made with 1 small sized onion, 1 and 1/2-inch of ginger and 10 garlic cloves
- Turmeric Powder: 1 tbl spoon
- Red Chili Powder: 1 tbl spoon
- Kashmiri Red Chili Powder: 1 tbl spoon
- Garam Masala Powder: 1 tbl spoon
- Bay Leaf: 1
- Cinnamon Stick: 1
- Green Cardamom: 2
- Cumin Seeds: ½ tbl spoon
- Mustard Oil- 4 tbl spoons
- Salt to Taste
How to Cook Potol Chingri (Step by Step Images)?
1. Marinate prawns with salt and turmeric powder. Leave it for 15 minutes.
2. Put a cooking pan on the gas stove and turn on the gas.
3. Pour oil into the pan.
4. Add pointed gourds to smoking oil.
(Pro Tip: I poke the potol lightly with a fork before frying so that it fries well inside out.)
5. Add salt and turmeric powder.
6. After pointed gourds are lightly fried, then take them out and pour cooking oil into the pan.
7. Add potato cubes, salt and turmeric powder. Once the potatoes are lightly fried, take them out on a plate.
8. Add prawns to the oil and shallow fry.
9. Take out lightly fried prawns.
10. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into the pan.
11. Add whole spices i.e. bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom and cumin seeds to oil.
12. Give these a good stir for 1 minute.
13. Add finely sliced onion.
14. After the onion turns light brown, add onion-ginger-garlic paste.
15. Sauté the mixture.
16. Add 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder and red chili powder, 1 tbl spoon of Kashmiri red chili powder.
17. Add a little bit of water and stir continuously.
18. Add ¼ cup of water. After the water comes to a boil, add lightly fried potatoes.
19. Cook potatoes well before adding pointed gourds.
20. Add lightly fried prawns and stir well.
21. Put a lid on the pan and leave for a few minutes.
22. Open the lid and add pointed gourds. Stir well.
23. Add garam masala and mix it well in the pan.
24. Add 1 cup of water to make thick gravy. Sprinkle a little bit of salt.
(Pro Tip: I add warm water instead of cold as it keeps the gravy smooth and helps it thicken faster.)
25. Put a lid on and leave it for 10 minutes.
26. After the gravy turns thick, transfer potol chingri into a bowl. Serve it hot with plain steamed rice, naan, roti, luchi, paratha, or vegetable pulao.
Experiment with These Ideas
- Sometimes I substitute prawns for chunks of bhetki for a lighter version.
- I add a spoon of coconut milk when I want a richer and slightly sweet gravy.
- I sometimes skip adding potatoes and let potol do the work.
- I toss in a handful of green peas in winters to make the gravy sweeter and tastier.
- I use less whole spices and only garam masala when I need a less spicy version for my kids.
Potol Chingri Recipe Smart Solutions
Q: My prawns became rubbery after the Step 8. How to avoid this error in future?
A: I messed this up at the beginning but then started shallow frying the prawns for lesser than a minute and removing them at once.
Q: My pointed gourd became mushy after the Step 4. How to prevent it in future?
A: This is a common error for me and I always ensure that the mustard oil is sufficiently smoked before adding the potol slices.
Q: My masala appeared raw even after the Step 16. Why this error occurred?
A: I did this mistake once when I was in a hurry and now leave it on the masala for longer until the oil starts to surface.
Q: My potatoes remained hard even after the Step 19. How to solve this?
A: I have encountered this problem and now give it a partial simmer under the covered lid at this step to let them soften.
Recipe Card:
Potol Chingri (Pointed Gourd with Prawns)
Ingredients
- 400 grams Pointed Gourd (peeled & cut into rounds)
- 300 grams Prawn (cut and cleaned properly)
- 2 pieces Potato (peeled and cut into cubes)
- 1 piece Onion (finely sliced)
- 1 tablespoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 tablespoon Red Chili Powder
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- 1 tablespoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1 piece Bay Leaf
- 1 piece Cinnamon Stick
- 1 piece Green Cardamom
- ½ tablespoon Cumin Seeds
- 4 tablespoons Mustard Oil
- Salt to Taste
For Making Paste
- 1 piece Onion Small
- 1½ inch Ginger
- 10 pieces Garlic Cloves
Instructions
- Marinate prawns with salt and turmeric powder. Leave it for 15 minutes.
- Put a cooking pan on the gas stove and turn on the gas.
- Pour oil into the pan.
- Add pointed gourds to smoking oil. (Pro Tip: I poke the potol lightly with a fork before frying so that it fries well inside out.)
- Add salt and turmeric powder.
- After pointed gourds are lightly fried, then take them out and pour cooking oil into the pan.
- Add potato cubes, salt and turmeric powder. Once the potatoes are lightly fried, take them out on a plate.
- Add prawns to the oil and shallow fry.
- Take out lightly fried prawns.
- Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into the pan.
- Add whole spices i.e. bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom and cumin seeds to oil.
- Give these a good stir for 1 minute.
- Add finely sliced onion.
- After the onion turns light brown, add onion-ginger-garlic paste.
- Sauté the mixture.
- Add 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder and red chili powder, 1 tbl spoon of Kashmiri red chili powder.
- Add a little bit of water and stir continuously.
- Add ¼ cup of water. After the water comes to a boil, add lightly fried potatoes.
- Cook potatoes well before adding pointed gourds.
- Add lightly fried prawns and stir well.
- Put a lid on the pan and leave for a few minutes.
- Open the lid and add pointed gourds. Stir well.
- Add garam masala and mix it well in the pan.
- Add 1 cup of water to make thick gravy. Sprinkle a little bit of salt. (Pro Tip: I add warm water instead of cold as it keeps the gravy smooth and helps it thicken faster.)
- Put a lid on and leave it for 10 minutes.
- After the gravy turns thick, transfer potol chingri into a bowl. Serve it hot with plain steamed rice, naan, roti, luchi, paratha, or vegetable pulao.
