5 from 1 vote

Potoler Misti, also known as Parwal Ki Mithai, is a traditional Bengali dessert crafted by combining pointed gourds, khoya kheer, and various ingredients.

Follow these simple steps to make this recipe at home.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways:

Potoler Misti is a traditional Bengali sweet delight.
It is made with pointed gourds, khoya kheer, and other ingredients.
It can be enjoyed as a standalone sweet or paired with tea, ice cream, or fresh fruit salad.

Potoler Misti offers a distinct creamy and balanced sweet taste.
A few alternative sweets can be chhanar jilipi, mishti doi, sondesh, patishapta, rasgulla, or nolen gurer sandesh.

The Ingredients:

Potol or pointed gourds: 7 pieces (peeled, seeds are scooped and slitted in between)
Khoya kheer or mawa: 150 gm
Milk: 4 tbsp

Saffron: 1 pinch
Milk powder: 100 gm
Condense milk: 100 gm

Cashew nut: 2½ tbsp (grated)
Sugar: 150 gm
Nutmeg powder: 1 tbsp

Food Color: 1 tbsp
Cherry: ½ tbsp (chopped)
Pistachios: ½ tbsp (chopped)

Almond: ½ tbsp (chopped)

How to Cook Potoler Misti Recipe (Step by Step Images)?

Preparing the Pointed Gourds:

1. Start by taking 7 pointed gourds and peeling it carefully. Then, using a knife, make a longitudinal slit in the middle and scoop out the seeds using the back of a spoon. Gently press the gourd from both sides while using the spoon to remove the seeds.

(Pro Tip: Exercise caution while cutting the pointed gourds to avoid breakage.)

Preparing the Gourds for the Sweet:

2. Take a wok and fill it with 1 cup of water. Place the pointed gourds in the wok and bring the water to a boil. Cover it and let it boil. Uncover the lid and rotate the gourds to ensure even par-boiling.

3. Cover the wok and continue boiling until the gourds are tender. Once done, remove the lid, turn off the flame, and carefully take out the gourds from the water.

Preparing the Stuffing

4. In the same wok, add 150 gm of khoya kheer and (4 tbsp milk + 1 tbsp saffron) saffron-infused milk. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and then incorporate 100 gm of milk powder. Continue mixing.

5. Gradually add 100 gm of condensed milk and 2 tbsp of grated cashews nuts. Add less than ½ tbsp of nutmeg powder. Mix all the ingredients over low heat until the mixture thickens and starts to pull away from the sides of the wok. Turn off the flame and let the stuffing cool for 10 minutes.

Preparing the Sugar Syrup:

6. In another wok, add 150 gm of sugar and a small bowl of water. When the sugar starts simmering, pour in a small amount of milk to help identify any impurities in the syrup. Add nutmeg powder to the simmering syrup, followed by food coloring.

(Pro Tip: The milk will help to detect any impurities present in the sugar syrup.)

Placing the Pointed Gourds

7. Place the boiled pointed gourds into the syrup. Rotate the gourds to ensure they absorb the flavors. Once done, carefully remove the gourds and let excess syrup drain by placing them on a strainer. Allow them to cool.

(Pro Tip: Be careful while flipping the pointed gourds so that it does not break.)

Stuffing and Garnishing:

8. With the stuffing now ready – having a consistency that’s neither too soft nor too firm – roll it into elongated shapes. Gently insert the stuffing into the pointed gourds.

9. For garnishing, grated cashews, chopped cherries and pistachios, and then sprinkle them over the sweet. Lastly, add chopped almonds on top of the other nuts and cherries.

(Pro Tip: If desired, you can also include dry desiccated coconut.)