KHEJUR GUREY KHEER POTOL

From "Pabnar Bikhyato Kheer Potol"... that is from Pabna district of Bangladesh to Neha Mathur of Whiskaffair's or NishaMadhulika ji's kitchen; "Kheer Potol" or "Meetha Parwal"rocks I see. So far I am concerned, I tasted it back in the 90's from a shop in T's neighbourhood. The already existing famous sweet shops in the locality we both lived in did not sell this particular sweet come dessert. I remember on my way back from his home, I stopped at this shop one day just to buy a few of these.... out of curiosity to try a new thing you can say.... ahh... now I remember the name of the shop... Madhuban .... the men at home do not even peep into my blog, otherwise the senior would have agreed and write a nice comment down below the post and say.... wifey yours meetha parwal / kheer potol / khoya stuffed pointed gourd tastes better than the Madhuban one ..... well have I started day dreaming? Nothing new in that .... I do at all times! 

With a kheer potol in my hand I was reading Rujuta Diwekar's post which says she would share with us some home exercises for weight loss and over all well being. I am already in a weight loss programme but so much unable to resist the sweet temptations specially when I prepare them. I have to because my men love having them,  and the senior does tell his colleagues about my food blog. Yesterday, I had some  caramel custard and ilish-bhaat / hilsa and rice at Debarathi and Sounak's place.... the very sweet couple of Shaukh Creations Photography.Art.Designs. The lady owns a saree boutique in the island... my latest from her is a pink n ash combination  Khadi-Linen saree .... I had to grab it because I saw Vidya Balan doning a similar combination ... ahh what an epitome of grace she is. Coming to this boy Sounak Chaterjee .... he is multi talented.... an engineer by profession, excellent photographer, painter, designer.... in a word he has got an eye for art in general. This is a Sunday, instead of taking some lessons from him.... I am doing this but I love sharing with you all my food tales. You see I am not so bad .... this guy takes picture of his beautiful wife and of other beauties ..... not of this fat old lady..... yet I am all praises of him ..... he deserves that..... you know when you work with him and so many in the island indeed work with him. I am more happy with this boy these days because he got my man get up from his couch and walk into the tennis court .... I am waiting to see how long. 

After a scrumptious lunch at the above's home, I went to meet a lady ..... to a very health conscious, sincere to the core Noopur Somani with whom I am doing a 12km night run end of this month. We were to collect our race pack yesterday and with her I cannot have anything else but a cup of yogurt ..... I love that though. Running with her is not a matter of joke given how much effort she puts in her work. She is not Kanti Bakshi who will pat my back and say do not worry... take your time. With a very bad record last time and daddy's sudden departure, I was not willing to do a run sooner, then this sister like former colleague Noopur told she wishes to do it together with me this time.... I loved the way she approached and complied. I have given immense importance to this thing in life .... treatment.

From 'Kheer Potol' to running; I am a poor story teller indeed .... one who looses track every now and then. Anyways, there are a series of celebration and festival and at my home too..... so a sweet share was a natural choice. I would say try Kheer Potol or Meetha Parwal at home... it tastes better than the store bought ones. My personal experience say the store bought ones are overly sweet.... at least the ones I tasted from few of the Kolkata sweet shops. I found it to be very convenient and easy recipe as was told by my friend Tanushree.... so I got a rough idea from her about the recipe of kheer potol last year. Earlier she used to read my posts and say these are the mistakes I found, edit them. She is busy now may be stitching a quilt or a dress. 

Though I peeped into Neha Mathur of whiskaffair.com and Nisha ji of nishamadhulika.com, I did it my own way, using date palm jaggery instead of sugar for the khoya / kheer. I do not have the energy or patience of boiling milk for hours for the khoya kheer neither do I buy khoya blocks from the store. I prepare that same old instant khoya following a You Tube video.... it is soft in texture than the normal khoya that tastes awesome. The pointed gourd is required to be cooked properly in this recipe to get rid of the raw smell and the feel of a vegetable.... the stuffing can be done by your little girls or boys ..... not all of them see Google Map to find the way to the kitchen. At my home, the junior visits kitchen to see what is new for him there in the refrigerator and the senior for beer cans.... they both love their girl's cooking. Be happy with the treasures you have in life, not the hurt you sustained! Living get easier that way! So, here is a make ahead festive sweet for you with khoya and pointed gourd which is done within an hour or little more than that.

INGREDIENTS : [for the instant khoya]

Milk Powder : 1/3medium cup
Milk : 1/2medium cup
Ghee : 4-5 tbsp
Cardamom Powder : 1tsp
Jaggery : 1/2small cup [I used Date Palm Jaggery] [usually sugar is used in this]

INGREDIENTS : [for the finished product]

Pointed Gourd : 6-8
Sugar : 1/3 Coffee Mug
Water : 11/2-2 Coffee Mug
Green Cardamom : 2-3

Edible Green Colour : 2-3 drop
The jaggery khoya kheer as we get


METHOD :

I had some date palm jaggery left in the refrigerator, so preferred using it instead of sugar. Take the mashed jaggery, milk, milk powder and ghee in a bowl and fold in well. Do not worry about the tiny pieces of jaggery if using, they melt once microwaved.

Micro wave at high for 3 minutes, stirring every 1 minute. What we get is this which also tastes great atop a pao or bread... try. Let it cool, it thickens a bit. 

We will take about 2 big cups of water in a deep bottommed vessel and bring to boil. Meanwhile we will, peel and scoop out the flesh and seeds of the pointed gourds. We will wash them thoroughly.

As the water starts boiling, we would add a drop of edible green colour, mix! We will add  the halved potol / parwal / pointed gourds gently. Let boil for about 7-8 minutes, we need to get rid of the raw smell, it should not feel like a vegetable at all inside the mouth.

Once done, take them out and discard the water.

In a deep bottomed vessel, take 2 coffee mugs of water, a drop of green edible colour  and set to boil. Boil for 7-8 minutes and add the pointed gourds and green cardamoms.

Let boil for 5-6 minutes further. Switch off the gas oven and let the pointed gourds remain soaked in the sugar syrup for 8-10 minutes.

Gently take out the pointed gourds and place in a plate.

We will stuff each potol / parwal / pointed gourd with the instant khoya we already prepared.

We will cool & refrigerate them to be had chilled. Enjoy the bite with your family and friends.