Spicy parwal in cashew khuskhus gravy

In a bid to try new recipes I purchased parwal /pointed gourd /potol and searched for recipes through a group I'm part of RoP where we have wonderful cooks sharing vegetarian recipes. A barrage of suggestions I decided to try a Bangla recipe where I believe this is used more often. Added a few ingredients to suit my own tastes and a beautiful spicy dish is ready.

Enough of ride up...I'm sharing the recipe now.

Ingredients
Parwal - 250 gm
Poppy seeds /khus khus - 2 tbsp
Cashews - 8/10 pieces
Onions - 1 big or 2 small
Garlic - 3 cloves
Kalunji/nigella seeds - 1 tsp
Masala - 1 tsp or 1/2 depending on spice
Tumeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 tbsp

Method
1) Wash the parwal , scrape the outside slightly to take out any hard skin. Then cut into half and scoop out the seeds. Cut into long strips and apply tumeric with salt. Keep for 15 minutes.

2)  In a pan take two tbsp of oil, heat it and in medium flame fry the parwals. You should not deep fry them, fry them till they are soft around 75 per cent. Note it's an easy to cook vegetable.

3) On the side soak two tbsps of poppy seeds and 10 pieces of cashew in water for thirty minutes. Grind them into a nice white paste in a blender.

4) In the pan, add a tbsp of oil, heat it well. Add one tsp of nigella seeds rubbed in the centre of your palm,  finely chopped onions and garlic.  Saute it for a while till the onions change colour, add a pinch of tumeric powder, half a tsp of masala you have * and salt to taste and mix it well.

5)Add the poppy seed cashew paste, switch the flame to medium, mix everything nicely and leave it like that for three minutes.

(6) Add the semi fried parwals after 3 mix well, add half a cup of water, leave it at mid flame covered. Once the water dries up almost, your dish is ready. I kept lil gravy not watery just little.

7) Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with dal rice combo.

*I have a masalas which is combination of red chilli , rai, pepper ,Jeera, coriander seeds. You can use plain red chilly as well.

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