Stuffed potato curry is very popular in Bengal. I still recall to have it with puri in one of my friend’s marriage and I immediately fell in love with this dish. After that I thought many a times to give it a try but was not sure of the definite recipe. One day while I was watching my favourite cookery show ‘Rannaghar’, I found it. Though different combination of ingredients can be used for stuffing the potatoes, paneer has been used for this recipe. Moreover the blend of capsicum, coconut milk and cashew nut in the gravy gives it an added dimension. Together with this rich gravy, the paneer stuffed potatoes make quite an inviting dish.

Ingredients to serve 4 :

1. Potato (medium size) – 7 or 8
2. Paneer – 150 gm.
3. Capsicum (large size) – 2/3
4. Chopped tomato (medium size) – 1½
5. Ginger paste – 1 tbspoon heap
6. Cashew nut – 12 – 14
7. Raisin (soaked into water) – 1 tbspoon
8. Coconut milk – 150 ml.
9. Yogurt – 2½ tbspoon
10. Whole garam masala (Cinnamon – 1” piece, Cloves – 4, Cardamom – 4)
11. Bay leaf – 2
12. Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
13. Garam masala powder – ½ teaspoon
14. Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
15. Salt & sugar to taste
16. Ghee – 1 tbspoon
17. Cooking oil – 2 – 3 tbspoon

Procedure :

Soak cashew nuts into water for 30 minutes and then make a smooth paste from them.

Also make a smooth paste of capsicum.

Peel and wash the potatoes and cut into two halves. Boil them in salted water until tender. Don’t over cook them otherwise they will break while making the holes for stuffing.

Now with a small spoon scoop out some portion from the center of the potatoes to make space for filling.

Now mash the paneer with hand and mix with the potato that has been scooped out.

Melt ghee in a frying pan over low – medium heat. Add paneer mixture, salt, sugar, garam masala powder and raisins into it. Cook for few minutes and then put the gas off. Let the mixture return to room temperature.

Now start filling the potatoes with the paneer mixture.

For making gravy heat oil in a pan over medium flame. Add whole garam masala and bay leaf, saute till nice aroma comes out. Then add chopped tomato, ginger paste and salt, cook till tomato gets soften. Now add capsicum paste, cashew nut paste and sugar, cook till oil comes out from the mixture and raw flavour of the ingredients goes away. Then add yogurt and stir for 1 minute. Now add coconut milk and a little of water. As the mixture starts boiling add stuffed potatoes, cover the pan and let it cook on low flame. Put the gas off as the gravy thickens to your desired consistency.

Serve with roti, paratha or puri.

Note :

1. You can use only paneer for stuffing without adding potato to it.
2. If you wish you can also sprinkle over few drops of rose water at the end. I don’t like too much of aroma in my dish, so I skipped it.
3. Stuff the potatoes tightly with paneer mixture so that the mixture doesn’t come out while cooking the stuffed potatoes in the gravy.