Sorakkai Kootu | Bottle Gourd Kootu | Sorakkai Curry with Dal

Bottle gourd / Suraikkai is a well known vegetable in Indian households. This vegetable is known by various names such as lauki, calabash, dhoodhi and ghiya. On consuming this, we get lots of health benefits. First of all it helps to reduce fat. If you are trying to loss weight just sip a cup of lauki juice at empty stomach in the morning. It helps to treat problem related to diarrhoea, constipation etc. the water makes the digestive system free. 

My Amma used to say that we must add water based vegetables like cucumber, bottle gourd at least once in a week. There are many good reasons to add this in your diet. So I think you will add this in your menu. Hope you will like it. Here goes the recipe...

Ingredients:

Bottle gourd - 1

Toor dal - 1 cup

Green chilli - 6(adjust to spiciness required)

Tomato - 1(small optional)

Asafoetida - a pinch

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

To Grind:

Coconut - 1 tblspn

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli - 1

To Temper:

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Shallots / Small onion - 1

Curry leaves - a sprig

Oil - 1 tblspn

Method:

Pressure cook toor dal with green chillies, tomato and mash it.

Meanwhile, cut bottle gourd into cubes and cook in boiling water until done.

Once done, add the cooked bottle gourd to the mashed dal and add the ground masala.

Add in turmeric, asafoetida, salt and little water to this and bring it to boil. When bottle gourd is cooked remove from flame.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When it starts to crackle add chopped onion and curry leaves. Pour this tempering over the curry.

Serve hot with rice.

Enjoy!

Note:

• If you want more spicy curry, you can add more red chillies.
• Do not add too much coconut to this, it may spoil the curry.

Pictorial:

Keep all your ingredients ready

In a pressure, take dal, tomato, green chilli, asafoetida, turmeric, onion

Add enough water and cook for 5 whistles

Ground together coconut, cumin and red chilli without adding water

Mash the cooked dal

Add in ground coconut masala

Add chopped sorakkai and salt

Add enough water and  bring it to boil. When it is cooked remove from flame

Heat oil in a pan and do the tempering and pour over it

Serve with rice