Receta Bottlegourd curry/Sorakkai kootu (Lauki and moong dal curry) – How to make sorakkai kootu recipe

by charulata

Bottlegourd kootu is a delicious curry made with bottlegourd (lauki) and moong dal and cooked in a spicy coconut masala  and is best had with plain rice and ghee.  It is a very popular South Indian dish.  Bottlegourd or lauki is also used for making halwa or kheer, which also tastes great.  This curry is not only delicious but also nutritious and very simple to make.  You can also use chana dal or toor dal instead of moong dal.  In that case, just ensure that the dals are cooked and mashed well before making this curry.  Now for the recipe.. Prep Time : 15  mins Cook Time : 15 mins Servings : 4 persons South Indian cuisine INGREDIENTS Bottlegourd or lauki – 4 cups (cut into small cubes) Moong dal – 1/2 cup Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon Sambar powder – 1/2 teaspoon Salt to taste TO GRIND TO A SMOOTH PASTE Grated coconut – 1/2 cup Cumin seeds or jeera -1 teaspoon Green chillies – 2 nos. Fried gram or chutney dal – 1 tablespoon FOR TEMPERING/SEASONING Oil – 1 tablespoon Mustard seeds or rai – 1/2 teaspoon Urad dal – 1/2 teaspoon Whole red chillies – 2 A pinch of asafetida or hing Curry leaves – 10 HOW TO MAKE OR PREARE BOTTLEGOURD CURRY/SORAKKAI KOOTU RECIPE Wash the moong dal thoroughly with water and keep the drained moong dal aside. Peel the skin of bottlegourd  and chop them into small pieces.  Discard the seeds if any.   Take a small pressure cooker.  Add the chopped bottlegourd pieces, turmeric powder, salt and moong dal. Add water till all the ingredients are well immersed.   Pressure cook for 3 whistles.  Let the pressure cool down. Once cooled down,  open the lid and mix everything well. Take a mixer grinder.  Add the grated coconut, gram dal, green chillies and cumin seeds.  Add little water and grind to make a smooth paste.  Keep it aside. Add the ground paste to the cooked bottlegourd and moong dal and mix well.  Add sambar powder and cook on a low to medium flame.  Add salt and mix well. Cook for 7-8 minutes on a medium flame till it starts simmering.  Then switch off the flame. Take a tadka pan and add 1 tablespoon of oil.  Once the oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, hing, red chillies, curry leaves  and stir fry till the urad dal turns light brown in colour.  Add the seasoning to the curry and mix well. Tasty and healthy sorakkai kootu is ready to be served.  Serve it with plain rice and ghee and enjoy.. NOTES/TIPS You can also add cucumber, white pumpkin or snakegourd, instead of bottlegourd for making this curry, using the same method. Add red chilli powder for making it more spicy. Adjust the consistency of the curry, as desired by you.       Related RecipesPeanut rice – How to make peanut rice or groundnut masala rice – rice recipesSweet potato curry recipe – How to make sweet potato curry recipeTomato sambar recipe – How to make tomato or thakkali sambar recipe – tomato sambar for idli and dosaFried or roasted gram dal chutney recipe or pottukadalai chutney recipe – chutney recipesFrench beans stir-fry recipe – how to make beans palya or beans poriyal recipe – south indian styleLady’s finger (okra) sabzi recipeDahi bhindi recipe – How to make dahi bhindi recipe- Indian curriesGarlic rasam – How to make garlic rasam recipe (south indian poondu rasam) – rasam recipesCurry leaves chutney|karuveppilai chutney|kadipatta chutney recipe – side dish for idlis,dosas – chutney recipesBlack chickpeas and potato semi-dry curry (kala chana aur aloo curry) recipe