My mom-in-law used to make this quick and easy dish for breakfast or dinner to go along with Poori, roti, chapati or phulka. This curry has a slight hint of sweetness which comes from the pumpkin. 

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add potato cubes and roast them. Remove from oil and keep aside.



2. In the same pan now add panch phoron. Once the seeds starts to sputter, add green chilies and sauté. 
3. Next, add cut eggplant and sauté for about 30 seconds. 
4. Mix-in turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt and sugar. 

5. Add the roasted potatoes and continue to fry on low flame till the veggies turn soft.
6. Sprinkle little water if required. Add the coriander leaves and mix well. 
7. Serve hot as a side dish with chapattis or with rice.

Ingredients:

• 3 - big potatoes
• 1 tsp - panch phoron (A bengali seasoning mix consisting of  5 types of seeds - fenugreek seed, nigella seed, cumin seed, black mustard seed and fennel seed in equal parts. Readily available in store or you may prepare the mix at home)
• 1 tsp - turmeric powder
• ½ tsp - red chili powder |or| 2 - red chilies 
• 2 tbsp - oil
• pinch of asafoetida
• 5 - curry leaves (optional)
• salt - as per taste
• 1 tbsp - finely chopped coriander leaves for garnish (optional)

Method:

1. Wash potatoes. Peel the skin and place the potatoes in a bowl with regular cold water.
2. Cut potatoes into cubes or french fries shaped pieces. Drop the cut pieces into the same bowl of water.
3. Once all the potatoes are cut, rinse the cut potatoes. 
4. Drain all the water and transfer them into a MWO-safe dish/bowl. 
5. Add ½ tsp of salt to the potatoes and mix or toss around to coat the pieces with salt.
6. Microwave for 5 to 6 minutes, until slightly cooked, but the pieces are still hard enough when you press on them it won't crumble. NOTE: each MWO is different, it take more time or less. You will have to test and see.
7. In a kadai/wide fry pan, add oil and place it on stove on medium flame.
8. Once oil is hot add panch phoron, some of the seeds will start to sputter, so be careful. Step back or partially cover the pan.
9. Add asafoetida, curry leaves and red chilies [or chili powder]. Saute for 30 seconds.
10. Now add the partially cooked potatoes. Stir a bit.
11. Add salt as needed (remember - bit of salt was already added before microwaving the potatoes. so taste and see if you need more).
12. Add turmeric powder and mix.
13. Spread the potatoes on the pan and continue cooking on medium-low flame. Stir in-between to prevent potatoes sticking to the pan and burn. Do not cover, or else you won't get the crispness you are looking for.
14. The potatoes are ready when you press the spatula, it should easily be able to cut through the potato piece.
15. Turn off the flame. Mix-in ¾ of the coriander leaves. 
16. Transfer aloo tarkari to a serving bowl and garnish with rest of the coriander leaves. Serve hot with poori, roti/chapati or as a side dish with meal.

Karela Bhaja or Bitter Gourd fry is a Bengali side dish commonly eaten at the beginning of a meal mixed with rice. Here is the recipe I learned from my mother-in-law with bit of my own twist.

Ingredients:

• 2 - Bitter gourd / Karela / Hāgala kai
• ½ tsp - turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp - funnel seeds / Saunf 
• 1 inch piece of cinnamon
• ¼ tsp - red chili powder or black pepper powder (optional) 
• Salt - to taste
• 2 tsp - Oil

Method:

1. Wash and cut the bitter gourds into thin round slices.
2. Mix in turmeric powder and salt with the cut bitter gourd. keep aside for 5 to 10 minutes
3. In a flat fry pan, add the oil and turn the heat to medium.
4. To the hot oil, add funnel seeds and cinnamon piece. May also add a red chili for this tempering.
5. Once the seeds splutters, add the bitter gourd. I usually spread the pieces flat on the pan and cover it for 3 to 4 minutes, then turn the pieces around to cook on the other side. You may also saute until it is cooked. 
6. Serve hot with rice. The best way to eat it is to squeeze the cooked bitter gourd and mix it with rice and eat at the beginning of the meal to get all the health benefits of bitter gourd.