Bottle gourd + Whole Moong Curry

Bottle gourd  + Whole moong curry is mild spicy curry and it is very easy to prepare with minimum time. It is very simple and healthy curry.

I have used Whole Moong, toor dal and bottle gourd. Mango tokku  (chutney is used for making the curry bit spicy.
It is very simple dal with vegetable and the Whole Moong.
Whole Moong provides loads of proteins to our body. Bottle gourd helps the body to be cool and takes care of blood pressure and control it. It is filled with lots of minerals and vitamins. It is fiber rich and helps the people who are in trouble with constipation.
No Onion or No garlic is added to this Bottle Gourd + Whole Moong Curry.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

To cook :
Whole Moong : 1 Cup
Bottle Gourd : 1 Bowl
Toor dal : 1/4 Cup

To Add :
Mango Tokku : 1 Teaspoon
Turmeric powder : A little
Green chilly : 1
Ginger : 1 Teaspoon (Grated)
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves

Seasoning :
Cooking Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspooon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

1. Wash and soak whole moong for over night. Or 4 to 5 hours.
2. Wash and slit green chilly and peel off the skin of ginger. Wash it again and grate it.
3. Wash and peel off the skin of bottle gourd and cut into small pieces. (Desired size).

4.Now put washed toor dal, soaked whole moong, cut bottle gourd in a pressure cooker.

5. Cook with required water. Let it get cool.

6. Open the lid, add slit green chilly, mango tokku, salt, grated ginger and mix it well.

8. Cook on medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes.

9 Shift the curry to a serving dish and add seasoning.

10. Serve for lunch, dinner or even with idli and dosa.

Note :

 You can cook bottle gourd separately. Use of pressure cooker is optional.
Adding only one green chilly since mango tokku is spicy.  Adding more chilli is optional.
Adding any other spice is optional. Soaking whole moong is optional. You can cook directly.
Time : 25 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 5.

Walnuts-Ragi - dates - Almonds Laddu

Laddus / Unde /Laadu is one of the best sweet and these Walnuts -Ragi-Dates - Almonds are the yummy laddu which is loaded with nutritious and health properties. These laddus can be eaten with breakfast and is full of vitamins and minerals.

I have used little almonds, 3 to 4 figs, a fistful of raisins, 1 bowl of walnuts (200 gr), a pack of dates.

Dates are smashed with fistful of raisins and mixed with powdered other ingredients.
No cooking on fire here. Just dry grind it and mix it well. See that dates are well ripen and it can be smashed easily.
These laddu can be eaten with breakfast, send it to kids snack box, picnics, ladies kitty party, one dish party, travelling, tours etc.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Dry roast :
Ragi/Finger Milelt : 1 Cup
Poppy Seeds : 2 Tbs

To Dry grind :
Badam /Almonds : 10 to 15
Walnuts : 200 grams
Figs : 4 to 5
Cardamom : 5 to 6

To Add :
Dates : 500 Gr
Raisins : 1 Small cup /1 fistful

Method :

1. Dry roast ragi/finger millet and poppy seeds. Let it cool.

2. Dry grind walnuts, almonds, cardamoms and figs.

3. Remove the seeds from dates.
4. Take a big bowl and add dates and raisins.

5. Smash it nicely and add powdered almonds mixture, walnuts powder and mix it well.

6. Add dry roasted ragi/finger millet and poppy seeds.
7. Mix all the ingredients nicely and take a small portion of the mixture.

8. Prepare laddu by pressing the mixture in your palm.

9. Laddu is ready to serve.

Note :

Do not add any water while preparing Laddu. You can add little ghee. (I have not added).
Walnuts helps to hold the powder tightly. Dates provide the moisture content.
Time : 35 to 40 Minutes
Shelf life : 1 Week or little more days.

Serves : 35 to 40 Laddus. (The size should be small).

Ash Gourd - Moong Dal Bolu Huli /Curry

Ash Gourd - Moong dal Curry /Bolu Huli is one of the traditional dish from Udupi / Karnataka. I have added  tomatoes and fried moong dal. It is easy to prepare and easy to digest. One more healthy curry that you surely enjoy with all the main dishes.

Ash Gourd is filled with nutritious, vitamins and medicinal values. We do use each part of this vegetable, like the outer layer is used for preparing chutney. The vegetable is used for curry and other dishes. The inner part/pulp is used for curd curry and the seeds are dried and dry roasted and eaten.
Here I have prepared " Bolu Huli " which means curry that does not have coconut init. So the curries which are prepared with out using the coconut is called " Bolu ". ( ಬೋಳು).
Let us see some benefits of eating Ash Gourd /ಬೂದು ಕುಂಬಳಕಾಯಿ .
Ash gourd is also known as kumbalakayi. booda kumbalakayi in Kannada. The pumpkin is known as sihi kumbala.
Ash gourd is good for diabetic people. It is also good for loosing extra weight. Ash gourd juice helps to treat acidity and peptic ulcer. Ash gourd is good for people who suffer from constipation.
Ash Gourd is rich in fiber and contain Vitamin C and minerals like phosphorus, iron and calcium.
 Let us see the recipe Now :
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this Ash Gourd - Moong Dal Bolu Huli /Curry.

Ingredients :

Ash Gourd : 1 Big bowl. (250 Grams).
Moong Dal : 1 Small cup. /2 to 3 Tablespoons
Green chilly : 3 to 4
Tomatoes : 2 ( Medium sized )
Ginger : An inch
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : A pinch
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Lemon : 1/2 lemon juice  /1 Teaspoon
For seasoning :
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh / Asafoetida : A pinch ( A little )

Method : 

1. Wash Ash gourd nicely and remove its outer hard layer. Remove the pulp and seeds.
2. Cut the vegetable into small pieces. Keep it aside.

3. Wash tomatoes, curry leaves, coriander leaves, green chilly and keep it aside.
4. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
5. Cut tomatoes, slit green chilly and cut coriander leaves. Wash and cut lemon in to halves. Squeeze out the extract from half lemon.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil and mustard seeds. Put urid dal.
7. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add slit green chilly, ingh and curry leaves. Add grated gu
8. Wash and remove the water from moong dal and add it to mustard seeds seasoning.

9. Fry nicely for 1 to 2 minutes. Add cut ash gourd pieces, tomatoes and put some water.

10. Pressure cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Let it cool.

11. Put cooked ash gourd - moong mixture. Add salt, turmeric powder and mix it. Add required water and let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.. Add lemon extract.

12. Shift Ash gourd - moong dal bolu huli /curry to serving bowl. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note : 

Use of pressure cooker is optional. You can cook it separately. Prepare the seasoning and add cooked ingredients and them mix it. Adding any other spices is optional. Adding more chilly is optional. Adding a tablespoon ghee to curry is optional. It adds to the taste.
Time 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.

Raw Tomato Spicy Curry

Raw tomato Spicy Curry is mild spicy and goes well with all most all the main dishes.

These tomatoes are home grown. We do try and grown some of the easy veggies on the terrace in pots. Some time they grow nicely and some time some insects will spoil the whole plant. This Time we could get some large bunch of tomatoes and I decided to remove it when they are raw. I have prepared the spicy curry using these raw tomatoes and some cherry tomatoes are dipped inside the curry. Cherry tomatoes are given by our friends who stays very close to us and they do have a big space for gardening and work hard in their garden.
I have also used a handful of  ಹೊನೆಗೊನೆ ಸೊಪ್ಪು /Sessilis Joy weed/   Alternanthera sessilis. These leaves are grown plenty in our pots and it is said it is very good for health and keeps our body and mind cool.
Let us see the benefits of eating Honegone Soppu in our diet.
Honegone soppu ( In Kannada language) is known as Sessile Joy weed /Dwarf copperleaf /Joy weed in English. Garundi in HIndi, Kanchari in Marathi, Ponnanganni in Tamil. In Malayalam it is known as Ponnakannikkira and in Telugu Ponnagantikura. In Konkani - Koypa , Sanskrit - Matsyakshi.
Honegone Soppu/Sesssile joy weed is loaded with nutrients and lot of medicinal benefits. The leaves contain anti-fungal and anti bacterial properties. The leaves helps to soothe the wounds and helps in reducing the acidity level in our body.They help to improve our vision. It is good for people who suffer from night blindness. Eating its flower continuously helps to improve the eye sight. It cools down the body and strengthens the eye nerves and muscles and improves the vision power. It acts as the best medicine for eye disease. It is good for people who suffer from piles and helps to cure jaundice. It is good for treating hepatitis, chest cold, asthma and liver disease. It helps to regulate the nervous system and helps to reduce weight. It helps to cure infertility. It provides energy to diabetic people and maintain the blood sugar level in our body. It is good for hair care and helps in cooling the body heat, eye irritation, knee pain, white discharge. It also helps in getting back to good appetite.  It prevents headache due to summer heat and helps in boosting milk production in  breast milk feeding mothers.
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this Raw Tomato Spicy Curry.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients.

Fresh Cow Peas : 1 Cup
Toor Dal : 1/2 Cup
Raw tomatoes : 10 to 15 or little more. ( I have used small size tomatoes).
Honegone soppu/ Sessilis joy weed : One handful (Optional).
Spice powder  :  2 Teaspoons
Tamarind pulp : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
Seasoning : 1 Tablespoon
Cherry Tomatoes : 12 to 15 (Optional)

Method :

1. Wash and clean Honegone soppu and cut into small. ( Tender stem easily breaks ).
2. Remove the pods from cow peas shell. ( Outer layer).

3. Wash and cut raw tomatoes into small.

4. Wash toor dal and put it in a pressure cooker. Put cow peas, cut Honegone soppu, tomato pieces.
5. Add little water and cover the lid. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes and put off the gas. ( Use weight).

6. Remove the pressure cooker lid and mix all the cooked mixture nicely. Soak marble size tamarind in hot water. Squeeze out the pulp and keep it aside.
7. Keep the cooked mixture on the fire and add l/2 cup of water. Add tamarind pulp.
8. Add salt, and little turmeric powder. Mix it well and let it cook for 2 minutes.
9. Now add spice powder/Rasam powder/Sambar powder and mix it well.

10. Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Put off the gas.  Put cherry tomatoes as they are. ( Optional).
11. Shift the ready Raw Tomato Spicy Curry to a serving dish.

12. Add the seasoning with mustard seeds, ingh and curry leaves and serve with the main dish of your choice.

Note :

Do not pressure cook the ingredients for a long time. It might get smashed. And the curry will not be that good. Adding spice powder of your choice is optional. I have added home prepared spice powder. Adding more/less spice is optional. Use of coconut oil for seasoning is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Servings : 3 to 4 .

Spice Powder : 

Dry roast 1/4 teaspoon of methi seeds, 1/4 Teaspoon of mustard seeds, 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of urid dal and 1/2 teaspoon of jeera/cumin seeds and 4 to 5 byadagi chilly.
Dry roast the ingredients separately till golden brown. Let mustard seeds start to splutter. It adds to the taste.
Dry grind it together once it is cooled. Try this spice powder and enjoy your curry with this spice powder.
One time Use only.