Sorakaya-Tomato Pappu (Bottlegourd-Tomato Dal)

 

Ingredients

Toor dal - 1 cup (washed & soaked in warm water for 1/2 hr)

Sorakaya - 3 cups, chopped 1" cubes (peel the skin & chop)

Tomatoes - 3 medium, roughly chopped

Onion - 1 medium, roughly chopped

Green chillies - 4

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp (adjust per taste)

Water - 1 cup

Amchur powder - 2 tsp

 

Seasoning/Popu:

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dried red chillies - 2, tear and deseed

Garlic - 2 cloves, minced

Curry leaves - sprig

 

Oil - 2 tsp

Ghee - 2 tsp (optional)

Method

1. Pressure cook toor dal, sorakaya, tomatoes, onion, green chillies with turmeric, salt and 1 cup water for upto 4 whistles. 
2. When pressure is released, remove the lid and add amchur powder, adjust salt.
3. In a small saucepan, heat 2 tsp oil for seasoning. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When they start crackling, add rest of the ingredients called for under seasoning. Fry for just a few seconds and add this seasoning to dal mixture.

Stir in 2 tsp ghee for that perfect taste! Serve with warm rice!

Vankaya-Sorakaya Majjiga Pulusu (Eggplant, Bottlegourd)

I had accidentally left the yogurt (home made) out for a little longer and it turned sour. With sour yogurt, I instantly think of Majjiga Kura or Majjiga Pulusu - one of my favourite varieties. We can use any vegetable combo - potato, raw plaintain, eggplant, bottlegourd, cluster beans and leafy vegetables too! I had a couple of eggplants & a small bottlegourd, so decided to use them up.

Recipe

2 cups sorakaya pieces (cut into 1.5" squares)

3 small eggplants, each cut into 4 pieces, lengthwise

salt, turmeric - to taste

4 green chillies - slit lengthwise

2 tbsp oil

3-4 cups buttermilk

coriander leaves, chopped

For seasoning : 1 dried red chillie-broken into pieces, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, 3 cloves (lavang), 6 curry leaves

For masala - grind the following together to make a smooth paste :

1 medium onion, a small ginger piece, 3 garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1tsp poppy seed powder

• Heat oil in a pan, add seasoning ingredients and immediately add vegetable pieces. Make sure the vegetable pieces are dry. Saute for 5 minutes.
• Add the masala/onion paste, salt, turmeric and let fry until the onion loses its raw smell.
• Add green chillies, cover & cook until the vegetables turn soft. (Sprinkle some water, if required)
• When done, add chopped coriander leaves, turn the stove off.
• Let cool for some time, add buttermilk, mix well and adjust salt.

Tastes great - serve with rice!

Sorakaya (Aanapakaya, Bottlegourd, Lauki)

Recipe

4 cups sorakaya pieces (cut into 1" pieces)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 big tomato, roughly chopped

salt, turmeric, masala powder - to taste

3 green chillies, (slit or chopped - any which way)

coriander leaves, chopped

2 tbsp oil

2 tbsp milk

For seasoning : 1 red chillie- broken into pieces, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, 6 curry leaves, 3 garlic cloves-chopped

• Heat oil in a pan and add seasoning ingredients. Add chopped onion immediately, saute until onion turns translucent.
• Add sorakaya pieces, salt & turmeric, green chillies. Cover and cook until the vegetables are done half way through.
• Add chopped tomato, masala powder, mix well, cover and cook until done.
• Add milk, mix & turn the stove off. Add chopped coriander leaves.

Enjoy the curry with roti/chapathi or rice.

Sorakaya curry (Lauki / Dudhi / Bottlegourd)

Sorakaya or Bottlegourd is available in abundance, all year round. It is slightly sweet and has high water content. Here is a tasty recipe of this simple, yet versatile vegetable!

Recipe

5 cups of Sorakaya pieces (peel the skin off the vegetable, cut into small cubes)
1 tsp urad dal
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 dried red chillies, broken into pieces
6 curry leaves
4 garlic cloves & 2” ginger piece (make a coarse paste)
Salt to taste
3 green chillies, slit lengthwise
4 tsp sesame seed power (dry toast white sesame seeds until light brown, let cool and grind to a coarse powder)
1 tsp oil
3 tbsp milk

Heat oil in a saucepan, add seasoning of urad dal, cumin seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves and ginger garlic paste. Let fry and add vegetable pieces, salt & green chillies. Mix, cover and cook until done - when done, the vegetable pieces should be firm and not too soft. Add sesame seed powder, mix and add milk. Mix again and turn the stove off. Enjoy this curry with rice/rotis.