Bottlegourd and Lentil Gravy

This is one of my favourite recipes, which is filling, tasty and very easy to put together. In tamizh, the bottlegourd is known as Surakkai and kootu means to add other vegetables and lentils. So the surakkai kootu comprises diced gourd, lentils and spices.

Ingredients

Diced bottlegourd 2 cups

Moong dal 1/4 cup

Toovar dal 1/2 cup

Urad dal 1 tsp

Mustard seeds 1-2 tsps

Asafoetida 1 tsp

Chopped green chillies 1-2 pcs

Grated coconut 1 tbsp

Cooking oil 1 tbsp

Curry leaves

Chopped coriander 

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Sambhar powder 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

1. Pressure cook the moong dal and toovar dal separately for 4-5 whistles respectively.

2. Separately cook the chopped gourd till it becomes tender.

3. In a wok, heat cooking oil and splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, chillies, asafoetida, curry leaves and coconut in the same order.

4. Saute for a minute or two.

5. Add the cooked lentils and gourd along with turmeric and sambhar powder.

6. Add salt to taste.

7. Cook on medium flame till the kootu gives out a lovely aroma as the spices cook.

8. Garnish with chopped coriander.

Serve warm with rice, rotis or pooris.