Bottle Gourd + Carrot Curry (Kootu)

Bottle gourd (Sorekai ) Carrot curry is a gravy dish. It is also known as Kootu in Karnataka. Kootu is a vegetable curry with spices.

Bottle gourd is known as Sorekai in Kannada, Churaikai or Churakka - Malayalam, Sorakkay -Tamil, lauki - dudhi or ghiya -Hindi / Urdu, Lau - Bengali and Anapakaya in Telugu.

Lets see some health benefits of Bottle gourd and Carrots.

Bottle gourd is full of fiber and easy to digest. Cooked bottle gourd helps the body to cool and it is very good for people who are suffering from headache, vomiting sensation. Bottle gourd supports the urinary system of our body by reducing burning sensation from high acidic urination. It also reduces the chances of urinary infection. It contains many vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, Vitamin A, and C. Bottle gourd helps to reduce the high blood pressure.It is good for diabetic patients. It is full of fiber and minerals and is a very good remedy for people who are suffering from constipation.

Carrots are rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and dietary fiber. Carrots are rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin B and Vitamin C. They contain minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, manganese and phosphorus.

Here is a recipe of Bottle Gourd + Carrots Curry. This gravy goes very well with rice, chapatis, rotis, poori , dosas, idli or even with Akki Rotti.

Ingredients :

Bottle gourd :  2 cups
Carrots : 1 Cup ( 2 carrots)
Jeera : 1/2  Tea spoon
Pepper Pods: 5 to 6
Red chilly : 4 to 5
Urid dal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 tea spoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Salt : to taste
Lemon or tamarind pulp : 1 Tea spoon
Coriander leaves : 1 Table spoon

Method: 

1. Wash and cut carrots, bottle gourd and coriander leaves.
2. Boil cut carrots and bottle gourd pieces for 5 to 8 minutes and keep it aside.

3. Keep a small pan on the fire. Heat and put 1/2 spoon of oil.
4. Add urid dal and fry till brown. Now add pepper pods, 1/2 tea spoon of jeera, ingh and red chilly. Fry for 1 minute.

5. Now put off the gas and add coconut and just stir once and mix well. (Fried items).

6. Grind all the fried items using little water.
7. Keep another big pan. Add remaining oil and heat. Add mustard seeds, and urid dal.
8. Let the mustard spurt. Add curry leaves and ingh.
9. Add cooked carrots and bottle gourd pieces. Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix it well.

10. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Now Add ground coconut spice mixture. Stir nicely.

11. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes and put off the gas. Add lemon, stir and replace the curry to a serving bowl.
12.Serve with rice, chapati or any other main dish you prepared.

Note :

Adding lemon juice to Kootu is optional. Normally tamarind or lemon is not added to kootu. Using less or more chilly is also an optional. Adding a ghee just before serving the curry, adds to the taste of the curry. Adding onions and garlic is purely optional. ( I did not use).
You can also prepare using different vegetables with the same ingredients. (Beans, peas, potatoes and sweet potatoes etc). If bottle gourd is tender no need to remove its outer skin. Wash it nicely and then cut it.
Time : 30 minutes.
Serves : 5