Thursday, February 26, 2015

Choraka Kootu Curry / Bottle Gourd and Moong Dal Curry / Lauki Curry

This has been the longest silence in my blogging history. We were busy shifting, settling down etc. So I had kept aside blogging for a while. Because I love blogging when there is no hurry. I just sit down(which happens rarely these days, as I keep running after Jordan) , relax without any interruptions and complete a post at one go. I have been waiting for that time and it made me take a break of 3 months :).



Now the big question came, what to post? So I decided to go with basic and simple kootu curry that could be made for everyday meals. This kootu curry is super yumm and easy to make. If included in a meal, it does make it a finger licking one.




This kootu is definitely a good option for us these days as we are still settling down and struggling to cook home made meals. Try it for your meals and let me know if you liked it.







Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup of split/yellow moong dal
  2. 1 bottle gourd - cleaned, peeled and cubed
  3. 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
  4. Salt to taste
  5. Water to cook
  6. 1/2 cup of grated coconut
  7. 2-3 green chilly, chopped
  8. 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
  9. 1 tsp of cumin seeds/jeera
  10. 1 tbsp of rice flour
For seasoning
  1. 1-2 tbsp of oil 
  2. 1 tsp of mustard seeds
  3. 4-5 dry red chilly
  4. 1 strand of curry leaves

Method
  • In a pressure cooker, take the moong dal and gently roast it on medium heat. Once done, remove it from the heat. Let it cool down.
  • Wash the moong dal thoroughly. Now add the chopped bottle gourd, washed moong dal, turmeric powder and salt as per taste to the pressure cooker. Cook it in the pressure cooker with enough water, on high heat untill the first whistle goes off. Remove it from the heat and let the pressure go down.
  • In a grinder, grind the ingredients 6-10. Add it to the cooked bottle gourd and cook it on medium flame untill the mixture starts to boil. Adjust the salt and consistency of the gravy. Remove it from the heat.
  • For the seasoning, heat a skillet and pour the oil in it. Drop in the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds pop, add the curry leaves and red chillies. Fry them and pour it on top of the kootu.
  • Serve it hot with rice. This curry goes well with chapathi too.

Tips

  1. You could try making this curry with green/grey squash. Those taste good too.
  2. This curry sets as it cools down, so you may need to adjust the consistency of the gravy accordingly.




13 comments:

  1. Glad to see you back!! Did you move to another state?

    I do make lauki and moong dal curry for rice, but uses the green grams and it looks little different but the ingredients are pretty much the same. I love it with rice or even with rotis.

    Hope the sun is shining bright there. We are dunked in snow :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank u Shibi :)..

      Not to a different state, but to a different country altogether :)... we r back in India. Oh ya I have been hearing a lot about bad the snow is in eastcoast this year.. stay safe and warm

      Delete
  2. Glad to see u back Anupa.
    I make snake gourd same way.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, delicious curry this is Anupa. The additon of the rice flour is something new to me, that must be adding a bit more to the consistency of the dish, right!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank u ...yes, addition of rice flour makes it thicker ..

      Delete
  4. Hey Anupa, Just the other day I was thinking about you missing for sometime now! Wow you back in India? lovely where have to moved to? If in Bangalore or kochi would love to meet up.

    The kootu looks delicious and so comforting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Rekha :)... I am in Pune now but let me know when u r in Kochi... Naatil ollapol kannam :)

      Delete
    2. Wow my sister lives in Pune. Planning to be there this time when I travel to India. We should catch up 😀

      Delete
    3. Perfect. Let me know when u r here .. we shall catch up :)

      Delete
  5. wow,the kootu looks tempting and delicious..I too make this at times with ash gourd...glad to c u back,Anupa :)

    ReplyDelete

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