The Indian Food Court

Most vegetables are healthy – but bottle gourd is among those that are more healthy than many others. Bottle gourd payasam is a among the prescribed few things that Jaundice patients may eat. However, its role in the diet is not sobre, for we use it in the preparation of sweets such as Halwa and Burfi and curry, the last of which I am putting up today.  To prepare this curry you need a tender Bottle gourd.

Bottle gourd

What you need to have:

1. Bottle gourd peel – 2 cups

2. Chopped potatoes – 1 cup

Ingredients of Seasoning:

1. Mustard seeds – 1 Teaspoon

2. Black gram Dal – 1 teaspoon

3. Chopped Onion – 1 and 1/2 cups

4. Green chillies – 2-3 (less spicy)

5. Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon

6. Fresh grated coconut to top – 1 tablespoon

Bottle gourd peal

What you do with what you have:

1. Wash and peal the gourd and keep it aside. Slit Green chillis as well and grate the coconut and set it aside.

Ingredients of Bottle gourd curry

2. Place a skillet with 4-5 teaspoons of cooking oil in it on medium flame. On heating, add mustard seeds to it. When it sputters add Black gram dal chopped green chilies, turmeric powder. Stir well and add chopped onions from step 1 to it with required quantity of salt to the dish.

3. When onions turn transparent add chopped potatoes and bottle gourd peal from step 1 to it. Mix well and add a little water and close it with a lid simmering the flame.

4. After a while just stir the dish to see that it does not get burnt. If not cooked sprinkle little more water to it. When its cooked and soft, add grated coconut from step 1 to it and serve hot with rice and dal.

Ready to serve Bottle gourd peal curry

How long it takes: 40 minutes

Number of servings: 5-6