Sarika shares a delicious dish from Bengali cuisine, stuffed teasel gourd (Kakrol) fritters that are a hit with dal-bhat (lentil and rice), in the weekly column, exclusively in Different Truths.

I cook two meals for two almost every day, and also at least once in two weeks I like to try something innovative which is not regular. Sometimes my experiments are great, while at other times it’s horrible!  I sometimes add a new ingredient to a traditional recipe or sometimes skip something, (because of unavailability). And sometimes throw everything in a pan and wait for the result.

I wasn’t always a food enthusiastic. As a kid, I hated many vegetables, including sweets too but now I eat sweets sometimes. That changed overnight after my 20^th year. Not sure why and how, maybe age is one factor, that’s why when my son refuses to eat any particular dish, I try to keep myself calm and not to force him. The reason I know myself, probably the gene will talk, maybe it is all a part of the growing up years.

Stuffed teasel gourd is like one kind – during my childhood, I used to hate it – but now I adore it like anything. It is Mrinal’s favourite’s too, whereas my son detests it.

It is one of the typical Bengali side dishes, which goes very well with steamed rice and lentils.

Stuffed teasel gourd/Kakrol er pur

Ingredients 

For the Stuffing

·         Grated Coconut (1/2 cup)

·         Poppy Seeds soaked in warm water for 1 hr

·         White Mustard Seeds 1 tbsp

·         Black Mustard Seeds 1 tbsp

·         Green Chilli (2)

·         Salt according to taste

·         Turmeric Powder one pinch

·         Nigella Seeds 1/6 tea spoon

·         Sugar (1/2tsp)

·         Oil (1 tbsp)

For the Batter

·         All Purpose Flour 3tbs

·         Rice Flour 1 tbsp

·         Baking Powder (1/8 tsp)

·         Salt (1/4 tsp)

·         Sugar half tea spoon( optional)

·         Water (a thick batter)

To Make the Fritters

·         Teasel Gourd 5

·         Oil for Frying

Method

First, wash and scrape the rough surface.

Cut them into two pieces lengthwise. Now, boil in salted water

Cool them and take out the seeds by using a spoon. Keep the seeds aside.

For stuffing, mix grated coconut, white mustard seeds, black mustard seeds, poppy seeds, salt and green chilli into a blender and grind the mixture.

Now heat one tbsp.. of oil in a pan and pour nigella seeds.

Then add all the grounded mixture into the pan and cook it on the flame.

By the time add turmeric powder and sugar into the mixture, and cook it on low flame, until the stuffing becomes thick.

To make the batter, take all purpose flour, rice flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl. Gradually add water and make a very smooth but thick batter.

Heat sufficient oil in a pan for deep-frying.

Coat the stuffed gourds with the batter. Check the oil by adding a drop of batter. If the drop floats immediately, the oil is ready for frying.

Now add the batter coated gourd pieces into the pan and deep fry them until beautifully golden brown in low flame.

Now, take them out on absorbent paper and serve hot.

©Sarika Sarkar Das

Photos by the author

#IndianCooking #BengaliRecipe #VegetarianDish #FridayFoodie #StuffedTeaselGourd #KarolerPur #DifferentTruths

Sarika Sarkar Das

A teacher, day dreamer, random experimental cook and some hit and miss photography, and at last love to call myself a full time mother. ​

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