Bhendi - Aloo Curry

Bhendi is Lady's Finger(okra) and Aloo is nothing but potatoes. Every one normally likes Potatoes. Mixing Lady's finger and preparing a combo curry indeed a good thought.

Lady's finger, is liked by most. It is said  that "The one who eats Bendi (Lady's finger) will be good at calculation and will be definitely intelligent and also will be excellent in Maths.  I do not know whether, the above said words are really true or just some simply said promise to make the children eat this vegetable. What ever it is this particular combo Bemdi Aloo curry goes well with rice, chapati, roti, poori or even dosa and idli and it is one of the healthy side dish you can prepare quickly and easily.

Now lets see some benefits of eating Lady's Finger.
Lady's finger or Okra are rich source of dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins. It is often recommended by nutritionists in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs. They do not contain saturated fats and cholesterol. They contain healthy amounts of vitamin A and anti-oxidants. Fresh Okras are good source of folates. They are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K and B complex. Lady's finger are also good source of many important minerals such as iron, calcium, manganese and magnesium. Lady's finger juice is consumed to control the diabetics.

Here is a recipe of Bendi - Aloo Curry and I am sure all age group will surely enjoy having them.

Things Needed:

Lady's Finger : 15 to 20 ( 1/4 KG)
Potatoes : 2
Tomatoes : 3 to 4
Garam Masala powder : 1/2 Tea spoon
Rasam Powder : 2 Tea spoons (MTR)
Green Chilly : :2
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Table spoons
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
Lemon juice : 1 Table spoon (1 lemon extract)
Oil : 2 Table spoons
Ingh : a pinch
Methi seeds : 1/4 Tea spoon
Salt : Required

Method :

1. Wash Bendi (Okra) and leave it for some time and dry the water completely. Then cut them into small.

 2. Wash and cut potatoes into big pieces .(like wedges) and cook with little water for 3 to 4 minutes.(Half cook).

 3. Wash tomatoes and remove the seeds from in side and cut them in to small pieces.
 4. Wash green chilly, coriander leaves, and curry leaves . Cut them in to small. Grate ginger and keep it aside.

 
5. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil, jeera and methi seeds. Let methi seeds turn lightly brown.

 6. Add green chilly, curry leaves and ingh. Add cut Lady's finger and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt and turmeric powder.

7. Add tomatoes and ginger ,fry them nicely along with lady's finger.

 
 8. Now add half cooked potatoes and stir slowly and mix it well. Leave them on low flame. (Stir in between).

9. Add Garam Masala powder and Rasam powder when the potato is completely cooked. (Do not over cook).

10. Mix it nicely and cook on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Add coriander leaves and lemon extract.

11. Put it in a serving bowl and add a spoon of ghee.

12. Serve Bendi -Aloo curry with the choice of your main dish.

Note:

Do not over cook potatoes. It turns soft and will be smashed with the curry.
You can use tamarind instead of lemon juice. Add it when you add tomatoes and cook it nicely.
You can also use more oil and more spices.
Adding coconut is also an optional. Retaining the potato skin is optional.
Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4

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 

Sorekai Kai Huli . (Bottle Gourd- coconut Curry )

Sorekai/Bottle gourd curry is a gravy dish. Bottle gourd is known as one of the best vegetable which has so many healthy properties. I have prepared Curry. Huli as we call it in our Kannada language./Karnataka /India.

.This Sorekai Huli can be served with almost all the main dishes like plain rice, chapatis, rotis, rotti, dosa, idli, poori etc. I have cooked this curry in a traditional way.
I have used Bottle gourd, rasam powder, tamarind and coconut with some spices. No dal is used in this curry.
No Onion or garlic is added in this curry.

Things Needed :

Sorekai : 2 to 3 cups.
Fresh coconut : 1 cup. (grated).
Rasam or Sambar Powder : 2 Tea spoon.
Tamarind Pulp:  1 Table spoon.
Turmeric powder : a pinch.
Ghee : 1 Tea spoon.
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Salt : to taste

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer skin of  sorekai  and cut it into small pieces. ( 1/2 of the medium sized sorekai will do).
 2 Cook it with one cup of water till its soft.
3. Grate coconut and grind it with Rasam powder with little water.
4.Soak small ball size of tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp and add it to the boiled Sorekai.
5. Cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and ground coconut mixture to the curry. Add a pinch of turmeric powder.
6. Mix nicely and boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Add curry leaves and a spoon of ghee to the curry.
7. Serve with plain rice/chapati/poori/idli/dosa.

Note:  

You can add tomatoes and reduce the quantity of tamarind pulp.
You can also add mustard seasoning to the curry to make it more tasty.  I have not done. I just added some ghee and curry leaves. (Optional).
You can also add potatoes with sorekai, curry taste different.
Sorekai must cook till soft. You can also add 1/2 teaspoon of soaked raw rice while grinding coconut and rasam powder. It helps to thickens the curry and mixes well with cooked vegetable. I have used home prepared rasam powder. Use of any branded rasam powder is optional. It might taste differ.
Time : 25 Minutes 
Serves : 3 to 4 People.

Recipe for home prepared Rasam Powder:

Coriander seeds : 2 Tablespoons
Methi seeds/Fenugrik seeds  :1/4 Teaspoon
Byadagi chilly : 5 to 6
Jeera/cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

Dry roast methi seeds till it turns slightly golden brown, add coriander seeds and red chilly/Byadagi chilly and fry for 1 t 2 minutes on low flame. Turn off the gas and add ingh, curry leaves and jeera. Mix it nicely and let it cool. Dry grind and use. ( I time use for 2 to 3 people ).