Pulwal Bhahjee (Pointed Gourd Stir-Fry)
A crispy fried preparation of pointed gourd (pulwal/parwal), a nutritious Indian vegetable. The gourds are marinated in turmeric, chilies, and salt, then fried until crisp in mustard oil. This traditional Bengali-style dish makes an excellent side dish.
Ingredients
- 12 pieces Pointed gourd (pulwal/parwal), scraped, halved lengthwise, seeds removed (Also called parwal or pointed gourd; substitute with zucchini if unavailable)
- 1 teaspoon Ground turmeric (For marinating)
- 1 teaspoon Ground red chili powder (Adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (For marinating)
- 0.5 cup Mustard oil (For frying; substitute with vegetable oil if mustard oil is unavailable)
More recipes using Pointed gourd
Instructions
- 1Scrape or pare away the thin green outer coating of the pointed gourds very finely. Cut each gourd lengthwise into two halves. Using a spoon, scoop out and discard all the seeds and soft center. Wash the halves thoroughly and drain away all water.
- 2In a bowl, combine the ground turmeric, ground chili powder, and salt. Add the prepared gourd halves and toss well to coat evenly with the spice mixture. Let them steep in this marinade for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour for better flavor.
- 3Heat the mustard oil in a large frying pan or kadhai over medium-high heat until it reaches smoking point. Reduce heat to medium.
- 4Carefully add the marinated gourd halves to the hot oil, cut side down. Fry without disturbing for 4-5 minutes until the bottom is golden and crisp. Turn the pieces over and fry the other side for another 4-5 minutes until completely crisp and golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- 5Serve the crispy pulwal bhahjee hot as a side dish with rice and dal, or as part of a larger Indian meal.
