Sorakkai Kootu (Bottle Gourd Kootu)
Traditional bottle gourd kootu known as sorakkai kootu is a delicious stew of lentils, spices, coconut and bottle gourd. Serve it over rice or with chapati or paratha.
© Swasthi's Recipes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
To Temper
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon ghee or oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ to 1 dried red chilli (broken)
- 1 Pinch hing (asafetida)
To Grind
- 3 to 4 tablespoon coconut grated
- 2 to 5 dried red chilies (adjust to taste)
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon cumin
- 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon chana dal (bengal gram)
Instructions
Preparation
- Soak tamarind in a bowl with ¼ cup hot water and set aside to soak. Squeeze and strain it later. Set aside.
- Add dal to a pot or pressure cooker and rinse well till the water runs clear. Pour 1½ to 2 cups water. Begin to heat on a medium heat.
- Meanwhile rinse the bottle gourd, cut it to 2 parts. Taste test to make sure it is not bitter. Peel the skin and cube.
- Add the cubed gourd to the dal and bring it to a rolling boil. Turn the heat to low.
- If using pressure cooker, cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles on a medium heat. When the pressure drops open the lid.
- If cooking in a pot, cook uncovered on a low to medium heat, adding more hot water as required.
- To make sorakkai kootu, lentils and the gourd both must be soft cooked.
Make Kootu Paste
- While the lentils coo, in a small tadka pan, dry roast red chilies and chana dal until deep golden and aromatic. Add cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds.
- Cool these and add to a grinder along with coconut. Pour little water and make a thick paste.
How to Make Sorakkai Kootu
- When the dal and gourd is cooked completely, add the ground paste, tamarind and turmeric.
- Stir well. Add more hot water if required to bring it to the desired consistency. It has to be thick yet of pouring consistency. cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, until bubbling and aromatic.
Tempering
- Meanwhile, heat the tadka pan with ghee or oil. Add mustard and cumin seeds.
- When they begin to crackle, add curry leaves, red chili and hing.
- Switch off the stove and add the tempering to sorakkai kootu. Serve with rice or chapathi.
Nutrition
Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 302mg | Potassium: 461mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 249IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg
