Potoler dorma recipe aka potoler dolma is a scrumptious, spicy and flavoured traditional Bengali recipe that is crazily popular among Bengalis. In this preparation, lightly cooked pointed gourds are stuffed with coconut-cottage cheese, dry fruit filling, and then dunked in creamy cashew-yogurt-based gravy. This versatile parwal recipe is an asset of Bengali cuisine which is prepared on special occasions in every Bengali household, especially during the Durga puja festival. Potoler dorma is mostly relished with luchi, paratha, Basanti pulao and even with plain rice.
Table of Contents
About the recipe
Health Benefits of Pointed Gourd
Tips and Suggestions
How to make Potoler Dorma (step wise photos)
Recipe Card
What is Potoler Dolma?
The recipe name Potoler dorma itself explains about the dish. It is a Bengali name where the word ‘Potol’ stands for ‘Pointed Gourd’ or ‘Parwal’- in Hindi and ‘dolma’ means ‘to be stuffed’.
Many Bengalis claim potoler dolma aka potoler dorma is an authentic Bengali dish which is created in Bengal. But the root of the popular dish is started by Armenians.
Dolma is special Bengali dish which is introduced by the immigrant Armenians of Bengal. Of course, the dish got modified in the Bengali kitchen and few of them started calling it dorma. The word dolma comes from the Turkish word dolmark which means to be stuffed.
Armenians escaped from Turkey and migrated to India for business and a big community of them settled in Bengal. Armenian dolma is prepared with minced meat and bulgar and wrapped in vine leaves. But after settling in Bengali, they started blending their culinary by using cabbage leaves instead of vine leaves and fish, potato and other available ingredients for the filling.
Slowly, their food became popular in Bengal. Bengalis worked on it and started preparing stuffed vegetables. Bengali cooks worked on different vegetables, gourds and came up with the best result with pointed gourds aka potol. They are firm and less watery than other vegetables and their hollow inside is great for adding stuffing.
Versatile Bengali cooks came with two different versions of potoler dolma. It is mostly prepared in two different versions.
Amish aka non-vegetarian: It is prepared with prawn or fish fillet filling and then dunked in spicy onion-tomato gravy.
Niramish aka vegetarian: It is either prepared with soaked gram paste and coconut filling or using cottage cheese- dry fruit filling. Few people use onion garlic for the gravy and filling and few do not.
Today I am going to share the pure niramish potoler dorma without using onion and garlic.
No onion garlic recipes play a vital role in any Bong house because, in most of the Bong houses, they consider at least a day from a week, other than puja days, as a no onion garlic day or a veg day. These recipes work stunningly on those days.
Whenever I talk about Potoler Dolma, it always makes me feel nostalgic. As a bong, I have grown up eating this delicacy and have never gotten bored with it yet. I still remember how my mother used to prepare it on vegetarian days and puja days. She used to serve it mostly as a side with Basanti pulao or with plain rice and we used to devour that with immense pleasure. I have learned this niramish potol recipe from her.
When I was in Kolkata, I used to get numerous options of authentic Bengali restaurants where they serve fantastic potoler dorma. But after moving to London, I started craving for the luscious Bengali dish. So, in one Durgashtami, I decided to prepare potoler dorma recipe and basanti pulao on my own. Then I called up my mom and noted down the recipe. To be honest, on my first attempt the result came out very good but on my second attempt, it came out fantastic. After that, I never turned back and this recipe has become one of the most demanding niramish dishes for our family.
The difficulty level of preparing this dish is moderate and according to me, it’s not a novice recipe. The process of preparing this dish is a bit lengthy but I can assure you that it’s completely worth spending each minute on the recipe. It is a pure Bengali delicacy and you will get the essence of Bengal in it. The best part of the recipe is that you don’t need to drop your tears for slicing onions. It could be a great option for no onion no garlic days. All the ingredients required to prepare the dish are easily available in any Bengali kitchen pantry.
Potoler dolma with step-by-step photos and instructions has been provided in the ‘Instruction’ section of the recipe. I have included all the tips and tricks below. If you follow each step of my recipe precisely then you will get niramish potoler dorma with perfect flavour and consistency which will even taste better than in restaurants. But before that let me share a few interesting facts about the key ingredient ‘pointed gourd’.
Health Benefits of Pointed Gourd
- Pointed gourd acts as a blood purifier. It helps to purify our blood.
- It increases the immunity power of our bodies.
- It is easy to digest and good for our digestive system.
- It is low in calories and contains pretty good fibre which is great for weight loss.
Tips to prepare perfect Potoler Dorma
- Scrap the skin of each pointed gourd with a knife. Don’t try to peel it or else the shape of the pointed gourds will not remain intact.
- With the help of the handle of a spoon, scoop out the flesh and seeds from each pointed gourd. Don’t use a knife for this delicate job.
- Don’t discard the scooped-out flesh and seeds of the pointed gourd. Make a smooth paste of it and use it to prepare the filling.
- Rub each pointed gourd with salt and turmeric powder from inside and outside for better taste.
- Fry each pointed gourd moderately before adding the filling.
- Fill the pointed gourds with staffing till 80% not more than that. Or else the filling can come out after putting into the gravy.
- Make sure to seal each pointed gourd with a toothpick before adding to the gravy.
- Always use mustard oil to cook the recipe for better taste and flavour.
- Don’t skip the whole spices from the gravy. It induces a nice flavour to it.
How to serve Potoler Dorma?
According to me, potoler dorma is one of the most versatile curries which can be accompanied by luchi, paratha aka porota, ruti and even with plain rice, basanti pulao, Bengali fried rice etc.
How to make Potoler Dorma?
To prepare potoler dorma, first, we need to cut the pointed gourds and make them ready. First, scrap the top layer of the peel of the pointed gourd with a knife. Cut the bottom edge of the pointed gourd to around 1 cm and discard the edges. Then cut the top edge of each pointed gourd around 2.5cm and reserve the edges for later use.
Now, take a spoon and with the handle of it, scoop out the flesh and seeds from each pointed gourd. First, insert the handle at the border of the pointed gourd body and then rotate the gourd. Then the flesh will easily scoop out.
Reserve all the flesh and seeds of potol aka pointed gourd and transfer them into a jar of a grinder. If you have any black seeds then only discard them. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste.
Take all the pointed gourds and the reserved top edges to a bowl. Sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder on them. Now, rub it all over the body of each gourd even inside of it. Keep them aside for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, take a pan and add ½ litre of milk to it. Allow the milk to boil and then turn off the flame. Add lemon juice slowly and stir the milk to curdle. Once the milk gets curdled completely and the green water gets separated, strain out the chenna. Wash the chenna once and keep it aside for later use.
Take a bowl and add some cashew nuts, charmagaz into it. Add some water and soak it for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, strain the water and transfer it into the jar of a grinder. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside for later use.
Now put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Add some oil to it and wait. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and let them crackle. Then turn the flame to low and add either rated or finely chopped ginger, chopped green chillies into the pan and give a stir. After a few seconds, add some grated coconut and stir it. Cook it over low flame until the raw smell goes away and the coconut turns golden in colour.
Then add the pointed gourd flesh and seeds paste into the pan and mix it well. Add salt, sugar, chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 5 minutes. Stir in between if required.
Now take off the pan and mix it once again. Add chenna aka cottage cheese into the pan and mix it uniformly. Add chopped cashew nuts, raisins into the pan and give a mix. Cook it over low flame for 3-4 minutes and stir it in regular intervals. Then add some Bengali garam masala and mix it well. Turn off the flame and transfer the stuffing to a separate plate. Allow the stuffing to cool off.
In another pan, add enough mustard oil to fry the pointed gourds. Once the oil is hot, add the pointed gourds into the pan and fry them uniformly on high flame until some light brown patches occur. Strain the pointed gourds on a separate plate. Now add the reserved edges of the pointed gourd into the pan and fry them over high flame for 1-2 minutes. Strain them to the plate for later use.
Let the filling and the fried pointed gourds come to room temperature. Then start filling the pointed gourds with the stuffing. Fill each pointed gourd up to 80-90% and then seal it with the reserved edge like a cap.
Take 2 toothpicks and prick one from the cap towards the body of the pointed gourd in a slanting direction. Prick another toothpick in the opposite direction so that the pointed gourd gets secure and the filling won’t come out after cooking in the gravy. Repeat the same process and fill each potol aka pointed gourd with the stuffing and seal them.
Take yogurt (at room temperature) into a bowl. Add some all-purpose flour and mix it thoroughly with a fork. Make sure no lumps are there. Keep it aside.
Take a bowl and add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and some water into it. Make a paste of the spices and keep it aside.
Now it’s time to prepare the gravy. In the same pan, add some more oil if required. Once the oil is hot, add bay leaves, dry red chillies, cinnamon stick, cardamoms, cloves, cumin seeds and let them crackle.
Turn the flame to low and add the spice paste to the pan. Stir it quickly and cook it over low flame for a couple of minutes until the raw smell goes away and the masala releases oil.
Now add the cashew-charmagaz paste into the pan and mix it well. Cook it on low flame for 2-3 minutes until it releases oil.
Add the whipped yogurt to the pan and mix it well. Add some green chillies to the pan. Cook it over low flame for 4-5 minutes until it releases oil.
Add water for the gravy and stir it nicely. Add salt and sugar as per taste and mix it well. Cover the pan and turn the flame to high until the gravy starts boiling then turn the flame to low.
Take off the lid of the pan and add the stuffed pointed gourds into the pan. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 5-6 minutes until the potol aka pointed gourds is cooked completely.
At the final stage, add Bengali garam masala, ghee aka clarified butter into the pan and mix it well. Turn off the flame and now the potoler dorma is ready to serve.
Many potol recipes have already been shared in my previous posts. You can check a few of them like
Potol posto
Aloo potoler dalna
Dudh potol
Shorshe potol
Doi potol
..And Many more…
Ingredients:
1 cup = 250 ml
For seasoning Pointed gourd
- 500 grams large Pointed gourd (Potol)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
For the stuffing
- Pointed gourd flesh & seeds paste
- ¼ cup grated Coconut
- ½ litre full-fat Milk
- ½ Lemon to curdle the milk
- 10-12 Cashew nuts, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Raisins, chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated or finely chopped Ginger
- 1 green Chilli, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon Chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon Coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon Bengali garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon Mustard oil
.
For the spice paste
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 2 tablespoons Water
Other ingredients for the gravy
- 10-12 Cashew nuts
- 1½ tablespoons Cashew nuts
- ¼ cup Yogurt
- ½ teaspoon all-purpose flour to mix with yogurt
- 3 green Chillies
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1 Bay leaf (Tejpatta)
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 3 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 5 Cloves (Laung)
- ¾ teaspoon Bengali garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Ghee aka clarified butter
- 3 tablespoons Mustard oil
- 1½ cups Water for gravy
Instructions:
- First, wash the pointed gourds in water and pat dry them.
- Scrap the top layer of the peel of pointed gourds with a knife.
- Cut the bottom edge of the pointed gourd to around 1 cm and discard the edges. Then cut the top edge of each pointed gourd around 2.5cm and reserve the edges for later use.
- Now take a spoon and with the handle of it scoop out the flesh and seeds from each pointed gourd. First, insert the handle at the border of the pointed gourd body and then rotate the gourd. Then the flesh will easily scoop out.
- Repeat the same process with all the pointed gourds.
- Reserve all the flesh and seeds of potol aka pointed gourd and transfer them into a jar of a grinder. If you have any black seeds then only discard them. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste.
- Take all the pointed gourds and the reserved top edges to a bowl. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder on them. Now rub it all over the body of each gourd even inside of it. Keep them aside for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, take a pan and add ½ litre of milk to it. Allow the milk to boil and then turn off the flame. Add freshly squeezed juice of a ½ lemon slowly and stir the milk to curdle.
- Once the milk gets curdled completely and the green water gets separated, strain out the chenna. Wash the chenna once and keep it aside for later use.
- Take a bowl and add 10-12 cashew nuts, 1½ tablespoons charmagaz into it. Add some water and soak it for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes strain the water and transfer them into the jar of a grinder. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside for later use.
- Now, put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Add 1 tablespoon of mustard oil to it and wait.
- Once the oil is hot, add ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle.
- Turn the flame to low and add 1 teaspoon of either grated or finely chopped ginger, 1 chopped green chilli into the pan and give a stir.
- After a few seconds, add ¼ cup grated coconut and stir it. Cook it over low flame until the raw smell goes away and the coconut turns golden in colour.
- Add the pointed gourd flesh and seeds paste (Step 6) into the pan and mix it well.
- Add salt, ½ teaspoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon chilli powder, ¼ teaspoon cumin powder, ¼ teaspoon coriander powder into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 5 minutes. Stir in between if required.
- Now take off the pan and mix it once again. Add chenna aka cottage cheese (Step 9) into the pan and mix it uniformly.
- Add 10 chopped cashew nuts, 1 tablespoon raisins into the pan and give a mix. Cook it over low flame for 3-4 minutes and stir it in regular intervals.
- Add ¼ teaspoon Bengali garam masala and mix it well.
- Turn off the flame and transfer the stuffing to a separate plate. Allow the stuffing to cool off.
- In another pan, add 3 tablespoons of mustard oil to fry the pointed gourds.
- Once the oil is hot, add the pointed gourds into the pan and fry them uniformly on high flame for 4-5 minutes until some light brown patches occur. Strain the pointed gourds on a separate plate.
- Now add the reserved edges of the pointed gourd into the pan and fry them over high flame for 1-2 minutes. Strain them to the plate for later use.
- Let the filling and the fried pointed gourds come to room temperature. Then start filling the pointed gourds with the stuffing. Fill each pointed gourd up to 80-90%.
- Seal it with a reserved edge like a cap.
- Take 2 toothpicks and prick one from the cap towards the body of the pointed gourd in a slanting direction. Prick another toothpick in the opposite direction so that the pointed gourd gets secure and the filling won’t come out after cooking in the gravy. Repeat the same process and fill each potol aka pointed gourd with the stuffing and seal them.
- Take ¼ cup yogurt (at room temperature) into a bowl. Add ½ teaspoon all-purpose flour and mix it thoroughly with a fork. Make sure no lumps are there. Keep it aside.
- Take a bowl and add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and 2 tablespoons water into it. Make a paste of the spices and keep it aside.
- In the same pan, add some more oil if required. Once the oil is hot, add 1 bay leaves, 1 dry red chillies, 1-inch cinnamon stick, 3 cardamoms, 5 cloves, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, and let them crackle.
- Turn the flame to low and add the spice paste (Step 29) into the pan. Stir it quickly and cook it over low flame for a couple of minutes until the raw smell goes away and the masala releases oil.
- Now add the cashew-charmagaz paste (Step 11) into the pan and mix it well. Cook it on low flame for 2-3 minutes until it releases oil.
- Add the whipped yogurt (Step 28) into the pan and mix it well.
- Add 3 green chillies to the pan. Cook it over low flame for 4-5 minutes until it releases oil.
- Add 1½ cups water for the gravy and stir it nicely.
- Add salt and 2 teaspoons sugar and mix it well. Cover the pan and turn the flame to high until the gravy starts boiling then turn the flame to low.
- Take off the lid of the pan and add the stuffed pointed gourds into the pan. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 5-6 minutes until the potol aka pointed gourds is cooked completely.
- At the final stage, add ¾ teaspoon Bengali garam masala, 1 teaspoon ghee aka clarified butter into the pan and mix it well. Turn off the flame and now the potoler dorma is ready to serve.
Serving Instruction
Transfer the potoler dorma into a serving bowl or on a serving plate. Serve hot or warm to enjoy its best taste. Pair up the dish with rice items like steamed basmati rice, Basanti pulao, or flat breads like luchi, rotis, phulkas, parathas, and enjoy the classic Bengali delight.
Ingredients
1 cup = 250 ml
For seasoning Pointed gourd
- 500 grams large Pointed gourd (Potol)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
For the stuffing
- Pointed gourd flesh & seeds paste
- ¼ cup grated Coconut
- ½ litre full-fat Milk
- ½ Lemon to curdle the milk
- 10-12 Cashew nuts, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Raisins, chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated or finely chopped Ginger
- 1 green Chilli, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon Chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon Coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon Bengali garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon Mustard oil
For the spice paste
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 2 tablespoons Water
Other ingredients for the gravy
- 10-12 Cashew nuts
- 1½ tablespoons Cashew nuts
- ¼ cup Yogurt
- ½ teaspoon all-purpose flour to mix with yogurt
- 3 green Chillies
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1 Bay leaf (Tejpatta)
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 3 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 5 Cloves (Laung)
- ¾ teaspoon Bengali garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Ghee aka clarified butter
- 3 tablespoons Mustard oil
- 1½ cups Water for gravy
Instructions
- First, wash the pointed gourds in water and pat dry them.
- Scrap the top layer of the peel of pointed gourds with a knife.
- Cut the bottom edge of the pointed gourd to around 1 cm and discard the edges. Then cut the top edge of each pointed gourd around 2.5cm and reserve the edges for later use.
- Now take a spoon and with the handle of it scoop out the flesh and seeds from each pointed gourd. First, insert the handle at the border of the pointed gourd body and then rotate the gourd. Then the flesh will easily scoop out.
- Repeat the same process with all the pointed gourds.
- Reserve all the flesh and seeds of potol aka pointed gourd and transfer them into a jar of a grinder. If you have any black seeds then only discard them. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste.
- Take all the pointed gourds and the reserved top edges to a bowl. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder on them. Now rub it all over the body of each gourd even inside of it. Keep them aside for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, take a pan and add ½ litre of milk to it. Allow the milk to boil and then turn off the flame. Add freshly squeezed juice of a ½ lemon slowly and stir the milk to curdle.
- Once the milk gets curdled completely and the green water gets separated, strain out the chenna. Wash the chenna once and keep it aside for later use.
- Take a bowl and add 10-12 cashew nuts, 1½ tablespoons charmagaz into it. Add some water and soak it for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes strain the water and transfer them into the jar of a grinder. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside for later use.
- Now, put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Add 1 tablespoon of mustard oil to it and wait.
- Once the oil is hot, add ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle.
- Turn the flame to low and add 1 teaspoon of either grated or finely chopped ginger, 1 chopped green chilli into the pan and give a stir.
- After a few seconds, add ¼ cup grated coconut and stir it. Cook it over low flame until the raw smell goes away and the coconut turns golden in colour.
- Add the pointed gourd flesh and seeds paste (Step 6) into the pan and mix it well.
- Add salt, ½ teaspoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon chilli powder, ¼ teaspoon cumin powder, ¼ teaspoon coriander powder into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 5 minutes. Stir in between if required.
- Now take off the pan and mix it once again. Add chenna aka cottage cheese (Step 9) into the pan and mix it uniformly.
- Add 10 chopped cashew nuts, 1 tablespoon raisins into the pan and give a mix. Cook it over low flame for 3-4 minutes and stir it in regular intervals.
- Add ¼ teaspoon Bengali garam masala and mix it well.
- Turn off the flame and transfer the stuffing to a separate plate. Allow the stuffing to cool off.
- In another pan, add 3 tablespoons of mustard oil to fry the pointed gourds.
- Once the oil is hot, add the pointed gourds into the pan and fry them uniformly on high flame for 4-5 minutes until some light brown patches occur. Strain the pointed gourds on a separate plate.
- Now add the reserved edges of the pointed gourd into the pan and fry them over high flame for 1-2 minutes. Strain them to the plate for later use.
- Let the filling and the fried pointed gourds come to room temperature. Then start filling the pointed gourds with the stuffing. Fill each pointed gourd up to 80-90%.
- Seal it with a reserved edge like a cap.
- Take 2 toothpicks and prick one from the cap towards the body of the pointed gourd in a slanting direction. Prick another toothpick in the opposite direction so that the pointed gourd gets secure and the filling won’t come out after cooking in the gravy. Repeat the same process and fill each potol aka pointed gourd with the stuffing and seal them.
- Take ¼ cup yogurt (at room temperature) into a bowl. Add ½ teaspoon all-purpose flour and mix it thoroughly with a fork. Make sure no lumps are there. Keep it aside.
- Take a bowl and add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and 2 tablespoons water into it. Make a paste of the spices and keep it aside.
- In the same pan, add some more oil if required. Once the oil is hot, add 1 bay leaves, 1 dry red chillies, 1-inch cinnamon stick, 3 cardamoms, 5 cloves, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, and let them crackle.
- Turn the flame to low and add the spice paste (Step 29) into the pan. Stir it quickly and cook it over low flame for a couple of minutes until the raw smell goes away and the masala releases oil.
- Now add the cashew-charmagaz paste (Step 11) into the pan and mix it well. Cook it on low flame for 2-3 minutes until it releases oil.
- Add the whipped yogurt (Step 28) into the pan and mix it well.
- Add 3 green chillies to the pan. Cook it over low flame for 4-5 minutes until it releases oil.
- Add 1½ cups water for the gravy and stir it nicely.
- Add salt and 2 teaspoons sugar and mix it well. Cover the pan and turn the flame to high until the gravy starts boiling then turn the flame to low.
- Take off the lid of the pan and add the stuffed pointed gourds into the pan. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 5-6 minutes until the potol aka pointed gourds is cooked completely.
- At the final stage, add ¾ teaspoon Bengali garam masala, 1 teaspoon ghee aka clarified butter into the pan and mix it well. Turn off the flame and now the potoler dorma is ready to serve.
