BOTTLE GOURD / SORAKKAI PORICHA KOOTU
Bottle gourd / Sorakkai kootu is a South Indian dish made of sorakkai and moong dal along with the coconut paste. It taste yummy when had with plain hot rice and ghee. Kootu also pairs well as side dish for any thogayal rice,roti/pulkas and chapati. . This kootu is very simple and easy to prepare. The tempering with coconut oil to this kootu gives a nice flavor. Lets look at the steps of making this sorakkai poricha kootu.
Preparation Time : 15 mints | Cooking Time : 30 mints | Serves : 4
Ingredients :
Bottle Gourd / Sorakkai - 1 medium sized chopped Yellow Moong Dal / Pasi Paruppu - 1/4 cup Salt - to taste Water - as needed
Hing - little
Grated Coconut - 2 tbspn Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1 tspn Urad dal - 1 tspn
Whole black pepper - 1/4 tspn
Red Chili - 2
Coconut Oil – 1 tbspn Mustard Seeds – 1 tspn Curry leaves – few
Method :
1. Cut the edges of the ridge gourd. Peel the skin and wash well. Then scoop out the seeds.
2. Chop the bottle gourd into cubes. Dry roast the urad dal,cumin seeds,pepper and red chili till golden brown. Then turn off the flame and add the coconut.
3. Roast it for 2 mints and allow it to cool down. Transfer it to a blender and grind it to a smooth paste.
4. In a pressure pan, add the moong dal with needed water and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Then add the chopped bottle gourd to it. Mix well.
5. Pressure cook it for 1 or 2 whistle and mix well. Add the ground paste with required salt and hing. Mix and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Heat 1 tbspn of oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add curry leaves. Pour the seasoning over the kootu. Mix well.
Poricha Kootu is ready to serve..!!
My Notes :
1. Instead of moong dal, toor dal or mixture of toor dal and moong dal can be used.
2. Instead of sorakkai you can make this with kootu with cucumber, pumpkin, snake gourd.
