Bottle Gourd kootu(Using Cooker) - Sorakaya kootu - Sorakkai kootu

Bottle Gourd(Lauki)  kootu is a healthy South Indian Kootu Recipe, made with lentils simmered in Spicy Coconut Paste. It   Goes well with Rice,Chapathi, Roti & Phulka's.Bottle Gourd is a best food for weight loss, it contains 96 % of water & Packed with fiber content, which keeps you filling for longer time. Dal is also rich in Protein and fiber content, so it is a healthy Kootu recipe.Now we will see the preparation to make Bottle Gourd Kootu.

  Bottle Gourd Kootu

 Prep Time : 10  min. 

Cooking  Time : 20 minutes

Recipe Category:Side Dish

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian

Serves : 5.

Ingredients

Bottle Gourd - 2 cups.
Moong dal - 1/2 cup.
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp.

To Grind

Coconut - 1/2 cup.
KhuzKhuz (Poppy seeds) - 1 tbsp.
Sambar Powder - 1 tsp.
Salt - As needed.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.

To Temper

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
urad dal - 1 tsp.
Curry leaves - 1 Sprig.
Red chillies - 1.
Hing - a Generous Pinch.

Preparation

Remove the skin of bottle Gourd, & scoop the seeds & cut into Cubes.

Method

• Pressure Cook Bottle Gourd & Moong dal with turmeric &  needed water  for 2 whistles. 

•  Meanwhile Grind everything Given in "To Grind" column. 

• When the pressure subsides, open the lid, switch on the stove, add needed water, when water starts boiling add Ground Paste. Let it cook , till it gets little thicker,like kootu  consistency. 

• Heat the oil, add mustard seeds when it splutters add urad dal, hing, Red chillies , curry leaves &  Pour over the Kootu. Give a quick Mix.

Notes

• Instead of Pressure cooking the dal & bottle Gourd in a Cooker, you can Pressure cook it, directly in a kadai with needed water till it turns soft.
• Instead of khuz khuz, you can add fried Gram also, to thicken the Gravy.
• Tempering gives nice flavour to kootu.
• Instead of Moong dal you can use toor dal also, or combination of both,  if so you have to cook dal seperately & bottle Gourd Seperately.