vegetarian dishes

BOTTLEGOURD KOFTA CURRY

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Bottle gourd(English)/Lauki(Hindi)/Sorakkai(Tamil) is a good vegetable to keep you hydrated and helps to burn

bad cholesterol.

Bottlegourd juice mixed with fruit juices or taken as a single juice after a workout or in the morning helps you to

maintain the weight of your body.You can make raw salads with this amazing vegetable.

This vegetable can be used to make halwas,burfis and many sweets and savouries.

BOTTLE GOURD BADAM HALWA..STUFFED BOTTLEGOURD PEANUT CURRY-click on these link for old posts related

to bottlegourd and few more.

Today’s recipe is made with grated bottle gourd mixed with flour,shaped into koftas,fried in oil and added to the

tomato based curry .

INGREDIENTS (For the kofta)

1 medium sized bottle gourd peeled and grated

1 cup gram flour (besan flour)/wheat flour

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tsp chilli paste

few mint leaves

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp amchur powder

2 tsp sesame seeds

salt to taste

Oil for frying

METHOD

Squeeze out the water from the grated vegetable,(do not discard the water) and bind with the rest of the ingredients.

Divide into portions and shape into balls.

Fry in hot oil till golden brown and set aside.

For the gravy

2 onions chopped fine

4-5 tomatoes pureed

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

2 green chillies+7-8 cashews ground to a paste

1 tbsp kasuri methi leaves

1 heaped tsp.cummin seed powder

2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

1 tsp jaggery powder

1/2 tsp pepper powder

1 tsp garam masla powder

salt to taste

2 tbsp ghee

few mint and coriander leaves

Method

Heat ghee and add the mint leaves,kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala with salt and saute for 1 second and add the

chopped onions.

Next add the tomato paste and the rest of the ingredients and cook till it is pulpy.Add the gourd juice and water if

needed.

When the required consistency of gravy is acquired, add the fried koftas and cook on a low flame for 3-4 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

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BANANA BLOSSOM MORKOLUMBU

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Morkolumbu or buttermilk gravy is compulsorily included in the South Indian platter.The same dish is made in a

different way in North India known as the “Kadhi’.

Summer calls for dishes like this as curd is the main ingredient in this dish.This dish is made with single vegetables,

lotus seeds,fried pakoras…..the list has no full stop .This type of gravy served with a few crisps is like comfort food,

low on spice and a good for your stomach.

Today my recipe variation to this dish is with the inclusion of banana flower fritters.In fact it’s going to be a two in

one recipe… fritter recipe and a buttermilk gravy recipe.

The process of removing the matchstick shaped ‘pistil'(have to be removed or it will infest with its bitterness)and the

outer petal(calyx)is very tedious, as you have to remove these from each floret.

Once cleaned you have to immerse them in buttermilk for a minimum of 20 minutes and then wash well.

You could clean them in your free time, to save on the cooking time.

Firstly to a few health points…1.As banana flowers are light on the digestive system,they are good to relieve abdominal

pain and bloating .

2.They prevent infections.

3.Due to its rich iron content it helps to increase the haemoglobin levels.

4.Good for lactating mothers.

5.They play a vital role in women health.(related to ovarian disorders)

Now to the recipe..

For the fritters

Ingredients

Banana blossoms 100-150 gm (cleaned -check above for description of cleaning )

1/2 cup gram flour

2 tbsp rice flour

1 tsp all purpose flour

1 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp cumin seed powder

a pinch of asafoetida

salt to taste

oil to fry

Method

Mix all the ingredients together (no need to add water)except oil .

Heat oil, and drop in the coated blossoms and fry till crisp.

Allow to drain .

For the gravy

Ingredients

2 tbsp tuvar dal (soaked for minimum 20 minutes

2 tbsp coconut

3-4 dry chillies (soaked with dal)

1 tsp cumin seeds (soaked with dal)

1 cup thick curd beaten

1/4 tsp turmeric

salt to taste

For tempering

1 tbsp oil (from the oil you fried the fritters)or you can use ghee

1/2 tsp mustard

a pinch of asafoetida

2 dry chillies

few curry leaves

1-2 cups water (adjust to the consistency you like )

Method

First grind the soaked tuvar dal, chillies ,coconut,cummin seeds to a paste and set aside.

Heat oil, and add the ingredients,listed for tempering.Add the ground paste with salt and sauce for 2 minutes.

Next add the curd and water and allow a boil.

Add the fried fritters and remove from fire.

Serve with rice!