1Soak tamarind in a bowl with ¼ cup hot water and set aside to soak, then squeeze and strain it.
2Add dal to a pot or pressure cooker, rinse well, pour 1½ to 2 cups water, and begin to heat on a medium flame.
3Rinse the bottle gourd, cut it into 2 parts, taste test to ensure it's not bitter, peel the skin, and cube it.
4Add the cubed gourd to the dal and bring it to a rolling boil, then turn the heat to low.
5If using a pressure cooker, cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles on a medium heat, then open the lid when pressure drops.
6If cooking in a pot, cook uncovered on a low to medium heat, adding more hot water as required, until lentils and gourd are soft cooked.
7While the lentils cook, dry roast red chilies and chana dal in a small tadka pan until deep golden and aromatic, then add cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds.
8Cool the roasted ingredients and add them to a grinder along with coconut, then pour a little water and make a thick paste.
9When the dal and gourd are cooked completely, add the ground paste, tamarind, and turmeric.
10Stir well, add more hot water if required to achieve a thick yet pouring consistency, and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until bubbling and aromatic.
11Heat a tadka pan with ghee or oil, add mustard and cumin seeds.
12When they begin to crackle, add curry leaves, red chili, and hing.
13Switch off the stove and add the tempering to sorakkai kootu.
14Serve with rice or chapathi.
Ingredients
1.5 cups bottle gourd, chopped / sorakkai
0.5 cup moong dal or toor dal
0.5 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
0.5 tablespoon Tamarind or paste (adjust to taste)
1 tablespoon Tamarind or paste (adjust to taste)
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tablespoon ghee or oil
0.5 teaspoon mustard seeds
0.5 dried red chilli (broken)
1 dried red chilli (broken)
1 Pinch hing (asafetida)
3 tablespoon coconut grated
4 tablespoon coconut grated
2 dried red chilies (adjust to taste)
5 dried red chilies (adjust to taste)
0.5 teaspoon cumin
0.75 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon chana dal (bengal gram)
1.5 tablespoon chana dal (bengal gram)
Equipment
bowlpotpressure cookertadka pangrinder
Tips
The key to a nice and flavorful kootu is the paste we make with roasted ingredients, which adds aroma and enhances the taste.
Always taste the bottle gourd before cooking and avoid using bitter-tasting ones, as they are toxic.