Parwal A Favorite Dish Of West Bengal

Parwal is also know as Pointed Gourd in English. It    is a vegetable that has lots of health benefts. Bengalies can never lve without cooking it almost every day. They  have many dishes made with this vegetable.
What I have made is the simplest one and also very tasty and easy to make

       Here is the recipe:
     
10 Pointed Gourd washed and cut length wise wth the seeds

1 big onion cut similarly
Totally 4 tsps of oil
1/2 tsp each of mustard and cumin seeds
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
salt to taste
1/2 tsp of dry coriander and cumin powder
1 tsp of Garam masala
1/2 tsp of red chilly powder
In a heated pan add 1 tsp of oil (Mustard oil goes well with this curry, but if you don't have use any oil)
once it is smoking hot fry the sliced onions in it for a few seconds (it is not ot be browned)
Take it off and keep it aside
Now in the same pan add 3 tsps of the remaining oil, bring it to smoking point , and then add the mustard and the cumin seeds and let them splutter.
Add turmeric powder, salt and the Pointed Gourd and mix everything nicely.

Fry for a few seconds and then sprinkle 4 tblsps of water and cover it and let them cook on a slow flame for sometime, once in while stir them. You would find them becoming a little soft, if they are not sprinkle a little more water.
Once quite soft remove the lid, and fry them for a few more mins, adding the coriander and cummin powder
Next add the red chilly powder and the garam masala, and fry for a second or two.
Now add the fried onions and give everything a good mix and take the curry off the flame and serve it with Phulkas / parathas, or any Indian bread.
By adding onions in the end the curry comes out well and doesn't have the burnt onion look as the onions cook fry faster. 

Enjoy this extremely healthy vegetable. You can google it and find out how this vegetable looks and also all the benefits.

Simple, Lightly Spiced Vermicelli Pulav.

Recipe:
2 cups of Roasted Vermicelli ( you can get roasted one in shops)
1 small onion, chopped
1 small Green or any color Capsicum chopped
2 small Tomatoed chopped
1 carrot cut into thin strips (so that they would cook fast and also blend with the vermicelli)
1/2 tsp of Cumin seeds
1 tsp of turmeric powder
2 green chilies slit
1 inch piece cinnamon stick
2 pices of Black Stoneflower
2 dry red chillies broken into pieces
2 green cardamoms
2-3 cloves
1 bay leaf Salt to taste
a few choppe dcoriander leaves
2-3 tsps of oil

Method:

Heat a pan and add oil and cumin seeds, let them splutter
Then add the whole Spices
Add the chopped onions and fry them for a few seconds
Now add the green chillies, turmeric powder, and the carrots and cook for a few seconds.
Add just a little amount of salt at this stage , mix well and transfer these vegetables to a plate and keep aside.

Next in the same pan pour about 2 cups of water, once the water starts to boil add the Vermicelli to it and let it boil in a low flame.
Add the required amount of salt to the Vermicelli,(remember that you have already added a little bit of salt to the vegetables)

Once the vermicelli is cooked add the vegetables to it and mix them gently and let them cook covered for a little while, just keep stirring gently off and on for about 3-4 mins.
Now finally add the chopped Coriander leaves.
Then switch off the flame and serve this lovely, Vermicelli pulav with Yogurt,or Raita (it is yogurt mixed with some raw vegetables like tomato, cucumber, onion and salt)
Enjoy!

https://www.facebook.com/ramasrecipes/

https://www.facebook.com/ramasrecipes/posts/502382480198337