Bottle Gourd Kootu – Sorakkai Kootukari

Bottle Gourd Kootu / Sorakkai Kootu is a thick curry legume based curry made Bottle Gourd! 

Bottle Gourds, belong to the gourd family is a very healthy vegetable. Also known as Lauki, Sorakkai, Doodhi or Calabash. Its one of those low calorie vegetable that helps with weight loss. Also rich in vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals. 

Kootu, is a semi thick curry popular in south India made with legumes and vegetables. You can use any legume that you prefer… mostly its madew ith moong dal (pachai paruppu ) or chana dal (bengal gram dal / kadhala paruppu) 

We often make this Sorakkai kootu with bengal gram as it tends to pair well! Most of the vegetarian meals at home get to see some kind of puli kuzhambu that gets served with thick lentil based curries / Kootu kari  like these as sides. 

Bottle Gourd Kootu Recipe / Sorakkai Kootu Kari Recipe / Lauki Dal / How to make Sorakkai Kootu Curry / Easy Kootu Recipes / Sorraikai Kootu / Tamil Nadu Sorakkai Kootu Kari 

Typically has a pale green skin,  which are edible and can be used to make chutney.

Before cooking peel the skin and discard the spongy flesh and use the tender white flesh under the skin for cooking. 

SORAKKAI MASALA CURRY RECIPE – Bottle Gourd Masala – LAUKI MASALA

Bottle Gourd Kofta

Print Recipe

Bottle Gourd Kootu – Sorakkai Kootukari

Bottle Gourd Kootukari / Kootu, a thick curry made with bottle gourd and bengal gram.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: accompaniment, lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: south indian, tamil nadu

Keyword: bengalgram, bottle gourd, kootu, sorakkai

Servings: 4

Author: Mullai Madavan

Ingredients

• 1 cup Bottle gourd cubed
• 1 cup Bengal gram
• 1/2 cup Onion
• 1/4 cup Tomatoes
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1 Green chili
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
• 2 tbsp Fresh grated coconut
• ¼ tsp Mustard
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp Split black gram
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida powder
• 5 each Curry leaves
• 1.5 tsp Salt or to taste
• 3 tsp Oil
• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves for garnish
• 1 cup Water

Instructions

• Wash and soak Bengal gram for at least 30 minutes.
• Wash bottle gourd, peel the skin off, remove the sponge like tissue with seeds, and cut them into small bite size cubes.
• Pressure cook soaked Bengal gram with cubed bottle gourd, onions, tomatoes, green chili, garlic adding little salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and water.
• Cook for just one whistle and switch off.
• Now heat oil in a kadai, temper with mustard, cumin seeds, split black gram, curry leaves with asafoetida powder.
• Pour this tempering over the cooked dal veggie mixture and mix well.
• Add fresh grated coconut and cook for few minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and switch off!
• Serve hot as a side for rice with puli kuzhambu or top it over steamed rice!

Notes

You may add a tsp of sambar podi / powder in the place of red chilli powder for more flavorful curry.