Pretty and Pleasing ~ Parval
Sliced Parval
Parval Cooked to Crisp with Curry Leaves and Garlic
Parval is a beautiful looking vegetable, popular throughout north-India and little seen elsewhere. They are used especially in curry and stews. It has a satisfying soul which makes a filling curry that lifts the spirit. They are little bit hard to find in the United States even at Indian grocery shops, but they are well worth the hunt!
Recipe:
15 to 20 fresh parvals
1 tablespoon peanut oil
10 fresh curry leaves
5 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
Pinch each- cumin and mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon red chilli flakes and salt, or to taste
Rinse parvals under water. Dry them with a kitchen or paper towel. Make a vertical cut in the middle. Then slice each half again into four thin pieces lengthwise.
In a wide skillet, heat peanut oil. Add and toast garlic and curry leaves to pale gold. Next goes the cumin and mustard seeds. When mustard seeds start to pop, add the parval pieces. Mix and cover the skillet. Cook on medium heat for about five to ten minutes. Covering the skillet creates steamy environment that helps to soften the parval. When they start to get tender, remove the lid. Sprinkle turmeric, red chilli flakes and salt. Toss gently and cook for another five minutes, until the parval turn to crisp like shown in the photo above.
Serve right away. Enjoy with rice and dal, or with chapati or dal.
Parval ? I have never saw this. But the dish looks delicious. Can you tell me tamil/telugu names for this Indira?
Comment by Nirmala — October 31, 2007 @ 11:31 pm
I’m definately going to try this crisp parval this weekend it is looking very yummy.
Comment by anmol — October 31, 2007 @ 11:45 pm
Sooooooo……. tempting, Indira.
Comment by vee. — October 31, 2007 @ 11:56 pm
You always have these delicious looking vegetarian dishes. Lucky you get all of them there.
Comment by Happy Cook — November 1, 2007 @ 2:58 am
Indira,
Your creativity and chboice of vegetables amazes me…I have always wanted to ask the passionate food bloggers this question ..how do you guys plan the week ahead…is it that you cook along the flow or plan the menu in advance and buy the vegetables accordingly…Thanks for the wonderful recipes …
Comment by Priti — November 1, 2007 @ 6:47 am
nvr heard of this veggie. will try it if i find some..
Comment by swaroopa — November 1, 2007 @ 8:03 am
kura chala bagundi indira. Lucky you, we don’t find any fresh vegetables in San antonio at all.
Comment by Hima — November 1, 2007 @ 10:08 am
I think these are also sold by the name ‘POTALS’ in Andhra.
Comment by Madhuri — November 1, 2007 @ 10:10 am
Hi Indira,
Pics are awesome as usual. Can you tell me the name of this veggie in Telugu? Is it dosakaya?
Comment by Kalva — November 1, 2007 @ 11:23 am
Lov this veggie, my GM used to make it, can’t find them here in toronto. I really miss this dish. Pics look gr8.
Comment by Rina — November 1, 2007 @ 11:55 am
Hi Indira,
Donda kaya laga vundi kada
nenu rendu moodu sarlu indian stores lo choosi confuse ayyanu
donada kayalo rakalemo ani konesi koora chesesanu.Eee madhya local farmers market lo konna green squash tho potatoes ,pachii chole add chesi gravy ga chesanu .chala tasty ga anipinchindi.Indira garu,adi manaku india lo dorike budda dosakaya na ?
ikkada dorike squashes ani chala baguntayi..
annam parabrahma swaroopam
thanks for sharing.
vineela
vineela
Comment by vineela — November 1, 2007 @ 1:25 pm
This vegetable is eaten regularly in North India. It is found in Gujarati and Bengali dishes. I have tasted this first time in 2000 in Guntur. My mother used to make a fry just like in Indira’s recipe without the Garlic. We used to carry kilos and kilos of these to our relatives in Hyd at that time:-) That was eight years back. This vegetable which was called ‘potals’ or ‘potols’ might be available in other places too in Andhra now.
Thanks Indira for reminding the crunchy deliciousness (kammadanam) of this vegetable. I will buy the frozen parval here and fry it.
Comment by Madhuri — November 1, 2007 @ 1:47 pm
I am not familiar with this vegetable or with tinda. I am disappointed that i cant get them here.
Comment by VegeYum — November 1, 2007 @ 3:18 pm
Yes, this vegetable is called ‘Pottal’ in telugu. We do get the fresh ones, once in a while. I normally use the frozen ones, they are good too.
Comment by Madhu — November 1, 2007 @ 3:44 pm
Indira maku frozen dorukutai, I have rarely seen fresh parval. I love this veggie
Comment by sreelu — November 1, 2007 @ 3:56 pm
Pot(t)al is the Telugu name for it. Very rare in our part of Andhra and this vegetable even though looks like dondakaya (kovakkai, Tindora), it tastes much better. It has tiny pearl like white, round seeds and when cooked to crisp, the soft seeds turn to crunchy like popcorn. Very tasty.
I came across this vegetable (fresh ones) only three times in all these years of my US life. The fresh ones are very rare, and they usually priced high. I bought them at pound for 5 dollars, if you can believe that:), and they sell fast. These tiny veggies have a very loyal fan base around here.
Hope I answered your questions.:)
Hi Prithi: I rarely plan ahead. My cooking is mostly based on seasonal produce, what’s available in the market. I tend to shop at places where the produce is fresh and at low price. Depending on the vegetables I have, I plan menu for that day, and cook. Then take photos, edit, compose recipe and publish. It’s really a time consuming process but I enjoy it. Anything and everything for Mahanandi.:)
Vineela: Avunu, nenu kuda modata alage anukunnanu. Kaani evi inka ruchiga unnayi kada.
Green squash, ikkada click cheyandi. Edite budamkaya or nakka dosakaya. Chaala baguntundi. Meeru cheppinatlu kura chesi chutaanu.
Vineela, Chaala sarlu mee gurunchi anukonedanni. Chaala santhoshamuga vunnadi meeru tirigi blogging vacchi nandulu. 🙂
Comment by Indira — November 1, 2007 @ 4:37 pm
Indira, I found your Kalakand here
Kalakand is apparently also Qalakand :head crash:
Thanks very much Lakshmi.
This qalakand person is not only shameless, she is also operateing her blog in a very conniving manner. There is no comment or contact option. No way I can let her know about her stealing ways.
– Indira
Comment by lakshmi — November 2, 2007 @ 3:15 am
I have a pack of Parval in my freezer and I didn’t know what to do with it. This looks yummy and I will definitely try it.
Where is the recipe for this dish? I couldn’t find it.
Comment by Deepa — November 7, 2007 @ 5:26 pm
Hi Indira,
I always wondered what this veg was n wanted to try it. was very excited when i saw it in ur site. but i can see the recipe on the site. would u plz post this recipe plz.
~Shalini
Comment by shalini — November 8, 2007 @ 11:34 am
I figured that she’s the same person (with a changed name) who flicked a picture from our blog a while back – her mail id nausheennaz@gmail.com
Thanks very much Lakshmi!
I will contact her.
– Indira
Comment by lakshmi — November 13, 2007 @ 10:27 am
I made the parval curry following your recipe. It came out exactly like shown in the picture. Also, it tasted very good. We had it with rotis and loved the meal.
Thanks Indira!
Comment by Sameera — November 16, 2007 @ 10:06 pm
Indira,
I tried it today. The taste is awesome.
It’s so good to hear from you. Thanks Swati.
Indira
Comment by swati sawant — June 24, 2012 @ 7:35 pm
hello andi…
can pregnent women eat these parval? i love the praval pickle please tell me i m pregnent now..can i eat? is it safe??
Comment by pinky — October 9, 2012 @ 11:01 am
it is called potals in small shops /parval in super markets hyderabd
Comment by SUJAY — July 23, 2015 @ 1:22 pm