Potoler Dolma or Dorma, is a dish that satisfies the tastebuds of the foodies out there. We Bengalis adore the dish and to say, it is for all age groups, be it a 7-year-old or 70.

The term ‘Dolma’ is derived from the Turkish word Dolmak. This means stuffed or filled. In Ottoman cuisine, any stuffed food would be referred to by this name.

Pointed gourd (or Potol) is the main ingredient to make the Potoler Dorma, which is available in plenty during the summer months. It is said that this recipe came to Bengal through the trade route with the Armenian families. They were of Persian origin; and came and settled in Chinsurah, a place near Kolkata.

Since this time the recipe can be found in the Bengali household. The dish brims with different types of spice mix and is way too delectable. With this one side dish, an entire place of rice can be finished in no time. To know the palate, prepare yourself and dive deeper into the recipe.

Let us see the list of ingredients and the procedure for making Potoler Dorma at home.

Potoler Dorma Recipe (Bengali Style)

Madhushree Dutta

Recipe to make tasty Potoler Dorma easily at home. Simple ingredients, instructions, and equipment to prepare delicious Bengali-style Potol Dolma.

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Prep Time 40

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1 20

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Bengali, Indian

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

1 Induction Cooktop or Gas Stove
1 Kadhai

Ingredients

500 g Pointed Gourd 7-8 Potols
Salt
20 g mustard oil

For Stuffing

100 g Bengal gram
6 g coconut
25 g mustard oil
10 g raisins
8 g peanuts
¼ tsp whole cumin
¼ tsp asafoetida hing
6 g ginger paste
15 g coconut grated
4 g salt
14 g sugar

For Gravy

25 g mustard oil
2 pcs dried red chillies
2 pcs bay leaves
2 pcs cardamom
1 pcs cinnamon
2 pcs cloves
1 tsp cumin
4-5 potatoes
10 g cumin powder
3 g coriander powder
2 g turmeric powder
2 g red chilli powder
2 g Kashmiri red chilli powder
15 g almonds soaked
5 g cashew nuts soaked
25 g yogurt
200 ml hot water
½ tsp shahi garam masala powder
1 tbsp ghee

Instructions

Preparation

First, soak the bengal gram pulses for 2 hours. Scrape the gritty outer layer of the gourd using a spoon or knife.
Cut off the edges about 2 cm from the tip of the potol.
Keep these edges carefully, as it will be used later.
Using the handle of a spoon, take out the inner flesh and seeds inside the potol.
Season the Potol (pointed gourd) well with 4 grams of salt.

Fry the Potol

Heat mustard oil in a pan.
Fry potol on high flame, until it turns golden brown.
Then put the fried potols aside.
Fry the chopped parts of the potol and when it turns golden, and set it aside.

Grind the Gram Dal

Put the soaked gram dal in the grinder.
To keep the coarse texture, you have to grind it for a span of a few seconds.

Fry the coconuts and Bengal gram

Now heat some mustard oil in a pan.
Fry the finely sliced coconuts till it turns golden. Set it aside.
Then add the peanuts. Fry until it’s golden. Set it aside.
Now add whole cumin seeds and asafoetida in the same oil.
Wait until these ingredients splutter and release a strong aroma.
Add ginger paste and raw Bengal gram paste. Fry on medium heat for 20 -30 seconds.
Add the grated coconut. Fry until it turns golden.

Prepare the stuffing

Stir everything together and mix well.
Add salt and sugar accordingly.
Then add chopped raisins, fried coconut and peanuts.
Then add gram dal paste.
Stir well to remove the raw odor.
Continue scraping through the bottom of the pan with a fork until the mixture dries up.
Spread the gram flour mixture on a plate to cool.

Fill the stuffing

Now, fill the stuffing of the potol with this prepared gram flour mixture in ample quantities.
When the stuffing is done, cover the Potol with a small fried piece of Potol cap(chopped off Potol edges) with a wooden toothpick.

Prepare the Gravy

Soak almonds and walnuts in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain and grind into a smooth paste.
Peel 2-3 potatoes, and cut each of them into 4 pieces.
Heat the mustard oil in a pan.
Add potatoes, cover them, and fry for 5 minutes on medium heat. Stir occasionally. Season it with turmeric and salt. When golden, set it aside.
In the same oil, add whole dry red chillies, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and whole cumin and allow it to splutter.
In a small bowl, prepare the spice paste.
To make the spice paste, take cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red Chilli powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder (ingredients to be taken according to the quantities given)
Stir these with hot water.
Put all these spices in a pan on a high flame.
Stir in all the spices, add a little water if the spices dry up.
Now Add ginger paste.
Stir everything well until the added masala gives a smooth texture.
After the oil is released add salt and sugar to taste.
Now add the curd, cashew nuts, and almond paste.
Stir everything well.
Once the spices are well cooked and the raw odor is gone, add a little hot water to make the gravy.

Prepare Potoler Dorma

After the gravy starts to boil, add stuffed patal and potatoes.
Cover and cook over low heat until potatoes and potols are cooked thoroughly.
After 15-20 minutes, add ghee and Shahi garam masala to make it more flavourful.
Delicious Potol Dorma is prepared!

And that is it! The toothsome Potoler Dorma is ready to be served. Pair it with steamed rice or Basanti pulao and salad to enjoy the zing of the side dish. Mop up the gravy with the rice and put it into the mouth.

Lose yourself in the lusciousness of the indulging notes. Bite into the soft Potol; soak in the fun of its tempting taste together with the stuffing. Prepare it for any occasion or whenever you get some time to savor this awesome recipe.

Happy Cooking!

Potoler Dorma Recipe Bengali Style | How to Make Potol Dolma