Kitchen-Kollections

This recipe is from my MIL treasure of secret recipes. I never thought that adding curd in the curry would increase the taste manifold! I ate this curry two or three times and I was ready to share it with everyone. I don’t know think anyone has heard of orange chutney..at least not me. I heard of orange marmalade..orange jam but chutney!!! That would be my next recipe and guess what this recipe is also from my MIL treasure!! So here goes the recipe…

Surakaya kura/Bottlegourd Curry

Ingredients

2 cups anapkaya/bottlegourd pieces
1 cup chopped onion
2 tbs curd
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbs tamarind paste
salt to taste
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp Dhaniya powder
Curry leaves

For tempering
1/4 tsp jeera
1/4 tsp  mustard seeds
2 Methi seeds
1 clove
1 small stick of cinnamon
1 illiachi

For garnishing
Finely chopped coriandar

Method

• With a sharp knife, poke the entire surface of the vegetable. This is to make sure that the curry flavor goes into the pieces.
• Take a deep pan, add 1 tbs oil, add mustard seeds, jeera, methi seeds, clove, cinnamon stick, one green illiachi.
  After mustard seeds starts spluttering, add chopped onion, green chilli and curry leaves. Fry till onion turn translucent.
• Add the chopped pieces and add salt, red chilli powder and coriandar powder. Add the curd and mix it well.
• When the pieces are 3/4th cooked, add the tamarind paste mixed with 1 tbs of water. Cook for 15 min more and keep stirring in between. Garnish with chopped coriandar. Serve hot with either phulkas or rice.

 I know quite a number of people who just dont like to eat bottle gourd..so the best way to make them eat is to make this pulusu. This method works because thats what my mom did with me..haha so here it goes..

Ingredients

1 cup cut anapakaya pieces
3 slit green chillies
1 cup onion
2 tsp rasam powder
Inguva
2 tsp Tamarind paste

1 tbs Besan/gram flour mixed with 1/4 cup of water (without lumps)
A pinch of Turmeric
1/2 tsp red chili powder
Coriandar leaves for garnishing

Method

• Boil anapakaya pieces along with onion, curry leaves,green chillies. Sprinkle turmeric powder before boiling in a pressure cooker. Add 2 cups water.
• Now take a deep pan and transfer the boiled mixture. Add 1/2 cup more water and boil. Add inguva, rasam powder, tamarind paste, red chilli powder,salt and keep boiling.
• Mix 1 tbs besan in 1/4 cup of water and pour it in the boiling pulusu. It thickens and gives a gravy like consistency.
• Once the aroma comes, switch off the gas and garnish with coriandar leaves.

This pulusu is great for health and goes well with rice.