Potol Bharta | Parwal Bharta | Potol Vorta
Potol Bharta is a traditional Bengali dish made by boiling and mashing pointed gourd (potol) and blending it with spices like garlic, onions, red chilis, and aromatic mustard oil.
Ingredients
- 500 grams Pointed gourd (cut, scaled & cleaned)
- 6 pieces Dry red chili
- ½ tbsp Nigella seed
- ½ tbsp Turmeric powder
- ½ tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 piece Garlic (chopped)
- 1 piece Onion (chopped)
- 7 pieces Green chili:
- 2 tbsp Mustard oil
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of water to a wok and heat it. Once the water starts simmering, add the pointed gourds or potol.
- Add ½ tbsp of salt and cover them. Uncover the lid and stir after a few seconds. Check if the potol or pointed gourds are fully boiled. Turn off the flame and let it cool.
- Then grind the boiled pointed gourds or potol into a smooth paste without adding additional water.
- In a nonstick wok, heat 2 tbsp of mustard oil. Once the oil is hot, add six dry red chilis and stir-fry them briefly.
- Remove three red chilis and leave the rest in the wok. Add the nigella seeds and stir-fry until a pleasant aroma emerges.
- Stir in the chopped onions and cook for 2 minutes. Now, add the chopped garlic and stir fry it. Gently crush the red chilis with a spatula to release their heat.
- Introduce the green chilis and continue to stir-fry. Add the potol or pointed gourds paste and sauté for a while.
- Sprinkle turmeric powder and red chili powder into the mixture. Mix everything thoroughly. The more you fry, the better the taste will be.(Pro tip: Keep the potol or pointed gourd seeds. Do not discard them.)
- Add ½ tbsp of salt. Reintroduce the three previously fried red chilis (crushed) into the paste. Drizzle raw mustard oil from above and mix everything very well. The raw mustard oil will enhance the flavor.(Pro tip: Adjust salt and spices according to your taste.)
- Your Potol Bharta is now ready. Serve it hot along with steamed white rice, naan, puri, paratha, roti or chapati.
Video
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Notes
- I don't remove the seeds while cutting the pointed gourd as these will add to the texture and taste of the dish.
- Boling and grinding the pointed gourd is a good practice to achieve a rich texture.
- You can modify the spices according to your taste and heat preference.
- Do not rush the process. Fry the mixture nicely enough to offer the rich flavor and intensify the taste due to proper blending of the spices.
- Do not forget to add a little bit of raw mustard oil to enhance the taste and flavor of the dish.
Nutrition Info (Estimation Only)
Nutrition Facts
Potol Bharta | Parwal Bharta | Potol Vorta
Amount per Serving
Calories
88
Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat
6
g
9
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
3
g
Sodium
23
mg
1
%
Potassium
173
mg
5
%
Carbohydrates
6
g
2
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
2
g
2
%
Protein
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
556
IU
11
%
Vitamin C
32
mg
39
%
Calcium
41
mg
4
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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