POTALA RASA ( A UNIQUE DISH FROM ORISSA)

Today I am going to share with all of you one of my most favourite dish which belong to my native. It is called as Potala Rasa (Potala is Pointed Guard and Rasa is gravy).Before my wedding I use to eat this vegetable at least thrice a week but I think south Indian is not so familiar with the vegetables and you also get this vegetable very rarely in south side. So many people they don’t know that how this vegetable looks like???So here is one picture which I got in Google search I am attaching for everyone.

And here is my favourite:-

Potala Rasa (Pointed Guard Curry)

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

Serve-4-6 persons

Ingredients

Pointed Guard-250 grams

Oil- for deep frying

Unsalted butter-2 tabs

Cinnamon -1” stick

Green cardamom -2

Clove-4

Bay leaves-1

Cumin seeds-1 tsp

Onion-2 (Finely chopped)

Ginger garlic paste-2 tsp

Tomatoes-2 (make to fine paste)

Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp

Chilli powder-2 tsp (or as per taste)

Cashew nut-4 tabs

 Poppy seeds-2 tsp

Salt- to taste

Fresh Cream-4 tabs

Method

·         Wash and wiped pointed guard.

·         Now cut pointed guard very carefully.

·         Cut off the top and end of guard.

·         Now make a long slit in the middle of guard without separating it from head to tail.

·         If you want you can remove the seed of guard.

·         Now put little salt in guard and leave it for couple of minutes.

·         Meanwhile soak cashew nut and poppy seeds in warm water.

·         Make it to fine paste.

·         Heat oil in a pan or kadai for deep frying the guards.

·         Once pointed guard is fried and cooked then remove it on kitchen towel for any excess oil.

·         Now the turn of preparing gravy for this.

·         Heat unsalted butter in a pan and add cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves.

·         Once you get nice aroma of garam masala then put chopped onion in this.

·         Fry onion in medium heat till it is transparent.

·         Add ginger garlic paste in this along with all dry masala.

·         Keep frying this till butter gets separated from masala.

·         Add tomato paste in this and keep mix till it is thick.

·         Put cashew and poppy seed paste in this and fry for couple of minutes.

·         Add fried pointed guards along with salt in this and mix well.

·         Put ½ cup water and let it boil for 5-10 minutes.

·         Mix fresh cream and serve it with Naan, Roti or Paratha.

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