Alu Parwal Dum, Bharwan Karela & Yellow Pumpkin Subzi

Potatoes - 2
?Parwal - 500 g
Mustard oil - 50 ml
?Cumin - 1/2 teaspoon
Bay leaf - 2
?Dried red chillies - 2 ?

Cloves - 4 ?
Black cardamom - 1 ?
Green cardamom - 2
?Cinnamon - 1
?Onions - 2 ?
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
?Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
?Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon ?
Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon
?Salt to taste ?
Water - 1 litre
?Ghee - 1 tablespoon

Wash the parwal thoroughly, and scrub it with a knife to remove only the upper hard part of it and the ends. Cut it into two halves longitudinally. Cut the potato into four equal pieces. Deep fry potatoes and parwal till golden brown in colour.

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin, bay leaf, dried red chilli and garam masala. When the cumin begins to splutter, add onion and sauté it for sometime over a medium flame till it becomes translucent.

Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for sometime, then add all the powdered masalas, except garam masala powder. Add the fried potatoes and parwal, salt and sauté everything for two minutes.

Add garam masala powder, ghee and boiled water to the subzi. Pressure-cook the subzi on high for five minutes and then on medium for five minutes. Open the cooker after ten minutes. Serve warm with rice-dal-papad or pooris.

Bitter gourd - 4
?Mustard oil - 1 cup ?
Cumin - 1/2 teaspoon
Dried red chilli - 1 ?

?Cloves - 4 ?
Green cardamom - 2
?Cinnamon stick - 1

?Onions (chopped) - 2
?Green chillies (chopped) - 2 ?
Ginger paste - 1 tablespoon
?Tomato (chopped) - 2
?Coriander (finely ?chopped) - 2 tablespoon

?Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon
?Red chilli powder - 2 teaspoon ?
Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon
?Aamchur powder - 1 tablepsoon

Lemon juice - 1 tablepsoon
?Salt to taste
Sodium bicarbonate - half pinch (very little just to retain the colour of bitter gourd while boiling)
Water - 1.5 litre
?Thread to tie the bitter gourd

Cut the bitter gourd ends. Wash it properly. Slit open the bitter gourd longitudinally and remove seeds.

Add one tablespoon salt, sodium bicarbonate, and one teaspoon coriander powder to the water and let it boil. Now add bitter gourd and let it boil for ten minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil, add cumin, dried red chilli and garam masala. When cumin begins to splutter, add onion and sauté for sometime over medium flame till onion becomes translucent.

Add ginger paste and sauté for some time, then add all the powdered masalas and aamchur powder. Add the chopped tomatoes and green chillies. Cook on a slow flame for five minutes.

Turn off the stove and allow it to cool. Stuffing is ready.

Take out the bitter gourd from water and drain it. Stuff it with the filling and tie two pieces of bitter gourd together with the help of a thread and shallow fry.

When cooked on all sides, remove the thread. Sprinkle some lemon juice, aamchur powder and chopped coriander. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Yellow pumpkin - 500 gm
?Oil - 4 tablespoon
Panchforan seed - half teaspoon ( Fenugreek ( methi ), fennel ( saunf ) , mustard ( rai ) , black onion seeds ( kalonji ) and cumin (whole jeera )
?Bay leaf - 2
?Dried red chilli - 1
?Turmeric powder - quarter teaspoon
?Red chilli powder - quarter teaspoon
?Jaggery - 3 tablepsoon
Salt to taste ?
Sugar - 1 teaspoon

Peel off the yellow pumpkin and cut it into half-inch cubes.

Heat oil in a pan, add panchforan seeds, bay leaf and dried red chilli to it. Just when panchforan starts to splutter, add the yellow pumpkin cubes to it. Sauté it for two minutes over medium heat; add salt, red chilli powder, jaggery and turmeric powder to it.

Cover the pan and cook on a slow flame for five minutes. Add sugar, sauté for sometime and cover the lid again.

Keep it covered till the yellow pumpkin gets tender and oil separates rom it. Serve hot with rice or rotis garnished with chopped coriander.