Gota Potala Bhaja (Stuffed Potala)

Hi Readers,

I am again back with another very well known recipe of Potala. My mom used to make this when some guest would visit us for lunch or dinner. Though this is not very difficult recipe, it has quiet a number of steps, and you need to use two pans, may be that's why my Mom used to prepare only when she wanted to entertain guests. Like other stuffed vegetable recipes, in this also we need to prepare a stuffing. In my In-laws place, they make a stuffing of Besara(mustard based). I will some other time, prepare that stuffing and post it. Today, I am going to describe the one my Mom used to make.

Ingredients:

6 pointed gourds (parval / potal) 

2 spoon refined oil

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 

1 medium sized boiled potato 

           

For stuffing:

2 teaspoon poppy seed (soaked in water for 15 mins and then make a paste)

1 medium size onion finely sliced 

5 cloves  of garlic chopped

1 teaspoon cumin seeds  

1 dry red chilli 

Method:

First peel all the parvals and wash thoroughly. Then cut one side of the parvals and remove all seeds from inside.  Mash the  boiled potato after removing the skin. Now place a pan/kadai on the gas-stove and after heating put oil and cumin seeds followed by onion. When onion turns pink add chopped garlic,seeds extracted from Potala and posta or poppy seed paste. Add turmeric, salt, red chili powderand mashed  potato. Fry upto 3 minutes. The stuffing is ready. Keep it aside.

Then take 1/2 tea spoon of salt and a pinch of turmeric powder with little water and spread it thoroughly inside the parvals/potala through the opening made by cutting one side of each parval. After that fill these parvals with the stuffings. Then put a  the pan /kadai on the gas-stove, heat oil and then put the parvals and cover the pan. Cook it on medium flame. After 5 minutes just stir gently and cover it again. 10 minutes later switch off the gas. Parvals might take a little longer to cook, so check if it has turned soft and brown in colour,before removing from gas. Stuffed parval is ready.