POTATO with PATOL

Ingredients

• 6 whole patols (pointed gourd) (Also called parwal or pointed gourd; available in South Asian grocery stores. Sweet gourd can be used as a substitute per the original text.)
• 3 medium potatoes (Use a waxy or all-purpose variety that holds its shape during cooking.)
• 0.5 cup green peas (Fresh or frozen peas both work well.)
• 3 tablespoons ghee or oil (Divided: approximately 2 tablespoons for browning the vegetables and 1 tablespoon for the finishing tempering.)
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric, powdered
• 1 teaspoon coriander, powdered
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper, powdered (Black pepper, ground.)
• 0.5 teaspoon cumin, powdered
• 3 whole dried red chillies (Used in two stages: some added to the curry water and some reserved for the tempering. Adjust quantity to taste.)
• 1 teaspoon salt (Adjust to taste.)
• 4 leaves cassia leaves (Also called tejpatta or Indian bay leaves. Do not substitute with European bay laurel as the flavour differs.)
• 0.5 teaspoon garam masala, powdered (Added at the very end to finish the dish.)

Instructions

1. 1Using a vegetable peeler or small paring knife, peel the patols and potatoes, removing only a very thin layer of skin. Cut each patol in half lengthwise. Cut the potatoes into large chunks, roughly 4–5 cm (about 1.5–2 inches) in size. Set all the prepared vegetables aside. If using fresh peas, shell them now; if using frozen, keep them ready to add.
2. 2Place a wide, heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium-high heat. Add approximately 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil and let it heat until shimmering. Add the patol halves, potato chunks, and green peas to the pan. Stir and cook, turning the pieces occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly golden and browned on the outside. This should take about 8–10 minutes. Do not rush this step — browning builds the base flavour of the curry.
3. 3Once the vegetables are browned, pour enough water into the pan to just cover the vegetables (approximately 2–3 cups). Add the powdered turmeric, powdered coriander, powdered pepper, powdered cumin, 2 of the dried red chillies (broken in half if you like more heat), and salt. Stir everything together so the spices are evenly distributed throughout the water.
4. 4Place a lid firmly on the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the curry to simmer, covered, until the vegetables are completely cooked through and tender. This will take approximately 15–20 minutes. You can check doneness by piercing the potato pieces with a fork — they should slide in easily with no resistance.
5. 5Once the vegetables are fully cooked, prepare the tempering. In a small separate pan or ladle, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil over medium heat. Add the cassia leaves and the remaining 1–2 dried red chillies. Let them sizzle in the hot ghee for about 30–60 seconds until fragrant — you will smell their aroma release. Immediately pour this fragrant ghee, along with the cassia leaves and chillies, directly into the curry pan. Stir to combine.
6. 6With the lid off, raise the heat to medium and allow the curry to continue cooking uncovered, stirring occasionally. Add the powdered garam masala and stir it in. Continue to cook until the broth (soup) has thickened to your liking — it should coat the back of a spoon lightly rather than being watery. Once the desired consistency is reached, remove the pan from the heat. The curry is ready to serve.