fulkopir dalna

Rumki’s selected fulkopir dalna is her potato-and-cauliflower version, with fried vegetables, tomato gravy and peas. She attributes the Bengali preparation to meals learned from her mother, including puja-day cooking.

Cauliflower florets and potato pieces receive separate salt-and-turmeric coatings. The potatoes fry crisp and golden in mustard oil, then the cauliflower fries until brown spots appear; both are removed.

The remaining portion of the listed oil is added before cumin, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and dried red chillies temper it. A paste made by blending the tomatoes cooks before ginger paste and a separate ground-spice slurry follow.

The same fried potatoes return first and cook covered. The cauliflower returns with green chillies, followed after another covered cooking stage by the selected already-boiled peas. Separate gravy water is added, and the covered pot comes to a boil before the heat is lowered.

Sugar, Bengali garam masala and ghee finish the slightly runny gravy, with the same main salt adjusted to taste. The source serves the curry hot or warm and offers steamed basmati rice among its accompaniments.