Bottle Gourd - Carrot - Gooseberry Curry

Bottle Gourd- Carrot - Gooseberry curry is a gravy dish. It is very easy to prepare. We can eat this curry with chapati, rice, dosa, poori, roti and idli. Using goose berry in Indian curries are usual. We can prepare Tambuli ( Butter milk mixed curry), chutney, pickles. You can even grate gooseberry and top  up with salads.

Lets see some benefits of eating Gooseberry in our diet.
Indian Gooseberry is also known as Amla. It is rich in Vitamin C. Gooseberry helps to absorption of food. balances stomach acid. fortifies the liver, nourishes the brain and mental functioning. It also supports the heart. It strengthens the lungs. It enhances the fertility, helps the urinary system and increases skin health. It acts as a body coolant and flushes out toxins. It strengthens eyes. It act as an antioxidant.It is good for people who suffer from diabetic.
I have not used either onions or garlic in this curry. 
Here is a recipe of Bottle gourd- Carrot -Gooseberry Curry, it is prepared using some spices which are used daily and you can give a try and the whole family will surely enjoy having this curry.

Things Needed :

Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
Bottle gourd : 2 Cups
Carrots : 2
Goose berry : 2
Coconut : 1 Cup. ( 3 to 4 Table spoons)
Red Chilly : 4 to 5
Channa dal : 1 Table spoon
Methi (Fenugrik seeds) : 1/4 Tea spoon
Pepper Pods : 5 to 6
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Tamarind : a marble size
Salt : to taste
Oil :  2 Tea spoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Urid Dal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Ingh : Asfoetida : a pinch

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer skin of bottle gourd and carrot (scrape out the layer of carrot) and cut them in to small and cook till soft.
2. Wash moong dal and pressure cook for 5 minutes. Leave it for cooling.

3. Grate coconut and Grate Gooseberry and keep aside.

4.Keep a small pan on a fire and heat. Put a spoon of oil and fry channa dal and methi seeds til they turn slightly red. (fry on low flame).
5. Add red chilly, 5 to 6 curry leaves, ingh and pepper pods and fry for 30 seconds. Put off the fire and add jeera.and coconut. Let the fried mixture cool down. 

 6. Grind fried mixture and tamarind along with coconut with little water. ( nice paste consistency)
7. Keep a bigger pan on the fire and put  cooked carrots- bottle gourd, cooked moong dal and ground mixture.

8. Add salt and required water and mix it well and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.Let it be bit thick. Switch off the gas.
9. Shift cooked curry to a serving dish. Add grated Gooseberry and mix it nicely.
10. Fry mustard, urid dal in a spoon of oil and add curry leaves and a pinch of ingh. Add this fried mixture to the curry and serve.

Note :

Vegetables must be cooked till soft but do not over cook. Adding toor dal instead of moong dal is optional. Normally said that moong is more healthier than toor dal. Adding more or less chilly is also optional. You can also use some green chilly to make it more spicy. Adding onions or garlic is optional. You can fry them along with mustard fry and mix it with curry.
Time :    30 minutes
 Serves : 4 to 5