Doi Potol

Yoghurt’s introduction into Bengali cuisine has led to numerous lip-smacking delectables that not only arouse your sleepy culinary senses, but also make for a pretty dinner platter. Potol, or pointed gourd, has always been a staple in Bangla food charts especially owing to the vegetable’s easy accessibility in West Bengal. While the vegetable may have more epicurean cousins in Potoler Dorma (a rich, thick pointed gourd gravy that uses a generous helping of tomato paste) or even Chingri Potol (pointed gourd stuffed with prawn and potato mash), Doi Potol is often cited as one of the most beloved Bengali dishes ever.

The origins of this dish trail their way back to the Bhakti movement (15th century), heralded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Referencing their staunch no-slaughter policy of preparing food, the Vaishnavaits participating in the mass movement upended the culinary aesthetics of East India. From a primarily fish and meat-inclined region, Bengal, Odisha, Tripura and even parts of Meghalaya gradually became a seat of innumerable vegetarian delights that intelligently used all available resources.

These fascinating dishes quickly gained traction among the food lovers of the East Indian states. People began using these recipes during festivities as bhog (foods offered to the gods), and these dishes gave stiff competition to their non-vegetarian counterparts like Pathar Mangsho (Mutton Curry). The other probable source to this dish may be the rich culinary legacies that lay hidden in the kitchens of multiple widowed women who were forced to follow a strict vegetarian diet, one that was devoid of even onion or garlic.

Understandably then, Doi Potol’s charm lies in the fact that it’s the perfect blend between sinful and simple. While the liberal dollops of ghee in the dish makes it rich and silky, the yoghurt manages to cut the fat content and provide a citrus contrast. The slurry gravy is the perfect consistency that helps to coat the rice just enough for the perfect, sloppy bite, filled with bursts of flavour. Doi Potol is often paired with a steaming hot bowl of rice or even fresh Rotis brought right out of the tawa (hot pan).