Sorakkai Kootu - Bottle Gourd with Bengal Gram

In the summer we were blessed with a whole load of bottle gourds. I froze a few of them.

Freezing Bottle Gourd
The best way to freeze spongy vegetables is to cut them into the sizes that you would eventually be using and par boil. Peel the bottle gourd and cut them into about 1 inch cubes. Keep a pot of boiling water and add the cut bottle gourd pieces to it and par boil for 2 minutes. Remove them from the water, strain and then spread out the cubes on a plate and flash freeze. Once flash frozen pack them in Ziploc bags and store them in the freezer.



In the middle of winter you get one of these frozen bags of bottle gourd and cook this delicious kootu. The recipe is very simple.

Sorakkai Kootu recipe in pictures,

In a wide mouthed pan add the seasonings, followed by the onions. Once the onions start to turn color, add in the bottle gourd and saute for a few minutes. Add in the coconut paste. Meanwhile get the Bengal Gram cooked.
Add the cooked Bengal Gram to the bottle gourd and cook for 4-5 minutes and turn off the heat.

Sorakkai Kootu - Bottle Gourd with Bengal Gram
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1 cup Bengal Gram - Kadalai Paruppu - Yellow lentils
2. 2 cups of fresh or frozen bottle Gourd cubes
3. 1/4 cup of chopped onions
4. Seasonings: mustard, cumin and curry leaves
5. 1 tsp of oil
6. 2 tsp of turmeric powder
For the Paste
7. 1/3 cup of fresh or frozen grated coconut
8. 1 tsp of cumin seeds
9. a few coriander seeds and pepper corns
10. 3-5 curry leaves
11. 4 green chilies

Method

1. Set the Kadalai Paruppu to cook in the Instant Pot for 6 minutes or in a pressure cooker. Adjust the cooking time so the Bengal Gram is still whole and not cooked to mush.
2. Use 1/4 cup of water and grind to a slightly coarse paste the ingredients in the 'For the Paste' section.
3. In a wide mouthed saute pan, heat oil add the seasonings and when the mustard seeds starts to pop and add the onions and saute till it becomes translucent.
4. Add in the bottle gourd** and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add the turmeric powder and saute for a minute more.
5. Add in the coconut paste and if required about 1/2 cup of water and let it cook for 5 minutes or till the bottle gourd is completely cooked.
6. Add salt and the drained cooked Bengal Gram. Let cook for 4-5 minutes more and turn off the heat. The curry should not be too watery.
7. Note:** if using frozen do not thaw the vegetable before using, just add them to the pan frozen when you are ready to add. Thawing the vegetable makes it soggy.

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