Bottle Gourd - Cluster Beans Curry

Bottle gourd and Cluster Beans Curry is a side dish prepared using bottle gourd and cluster beans./Chavali kodu /kayi.

I have used bottle gourd, chavali kayi /cluster beans some fresh fried spices and coconut.
Cluster beans/chavali kayi or chavali kodu/gori kayi is a seasonal vegetable. It is one of the beans family vegetable that we use in curries, dry curries and even rice baat./baath/Rice dish.

Let us see some benefits of eating " Cluster Beans " in our diet.
Cluster Beans called as follows in different Indian Language.

Gori Kayi/ chavali kodu /chavali kodu in Kannada ( Karnataka),
Kothavara : Tamil,
Kothamara : Malayalam.
Govar : Gujarati,
Govari : Marati,
Guar ki Phalli : Hindi,
Goruchikkudu : Telugu.
Cluster beans is full of nutrition and filled with proteins, minerals and vitamins. It is full of dietary fiber. It is very low in calories. Cluster beans is good for anemic people. They are rich in iron.
Cluster beans contain gylco nutrients that help in controlling blood sugar. They are good for bone healthy. They do contain phosphorous and calcium. They are good for blood circulation in our body. They help to control the blood level in our body. They are rich in fiber and good for people who suffer from constipation and bowel movements.Cluster beans is good for pregnant women because they contain Iron and folic acid. It contain Vitamin K and good for the fetus in the womb.
This Bottle Gourd - Cluster Beans Curry is goes well with almost all main dishes like plain rice, chapatis, pooris, naan, roti, dosa or idli.
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this Bottle Gourd - Cluster Beans Curry.

Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Cluster Beans : 250 Grams.
Bottle Gourd : 1/2 of one big bottle gourd.
To Fry :
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Methi seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Urid Dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Curry leaves : 8 to 10
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch
Chilly Powder : 1 Teaspoon
To Grind :
Fresh Coconut : 1 Cup
Fried spices
Tamarind : Small Marble size
To Add : 
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : A pinch
Slit Green chilly : 2
Mustered Seasoning : 1 Teaspoon

Method :

1. Wash and remove the edges of cluster beans and cut into small.

2. Wash and remove the outer layer of bottle gourd and cut into small. Cook with required water.

3. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Wash and slit green chilly.
4. Keep a small pan on the fire and heat. Add little coconut oil ( 1/2 tsp). Add 1/4 tsp of methi.
5. Fry till they turn golden brown. Add urid dal and fry till it turns golden brown.

6. Add coriander seeds and fry for 10 seconds. Put off the fire and add curry leaves and ingh. Add chilly powder and mix it well. Let it turn cool.

7. Grind with coconut, tamarind and fried spices with required water.

8. Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked vegetables. Add little turmeric powder and required salt.
9. Add water if required. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add slit green chilly.
10. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it well. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt.

11. Shift the curry to a serving dish. Add mustard seasoning and cut coriander leaves. (Optional).

12. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note : 

Cut the vegetables into small pieces. Keep the flame low while frying the spices. Do not add more oil while frying. Use fresh coconut to add taste and aroma. Use of onions and garlic is optional. ( I have not used ).
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Jack Seeds - Southkai Kootu

Mangalore Southekai /Southekai and Jack Seeds Kootu is good to have with Plain Rice, chapatis, rotis, poori, dosa or idli. It is one of the traditional dish of South Canara and we call it as ಹಸಿ ಹುಳಿ .

Dal / Toor or Moong is not used in this curry and very little spices are used here.

Let us see some benefits of eating Coriander Seeds in our diet. 

Coriander Seeds have pleasant aroma and it is used as condiments in our culinary dishes.
Coriander seeds helps in preventing and treating diabetes. It helps in treating osteoporosis. It helps to cure digestive disorder. Helps in preventing abdominal pains. It is good for ladies who suffer during their menstrual chronic/crams pains. It is a good remedy for skin related problems. Good for anemia, for treating inflammation,controlling and regulating high cholesterol levels. It is good for mouth ulcers, indigestion, eye related problems and lowering the blood sugar level. It has a cooling effect on our body and is used for eye related problems. ( Wash and soak coriander seeds for 30 minutes, strain twice with clean towel or cloth and then use it as drops to eyes. It helps in cooling our eyes, sooth our eyes and your eyes will be refreshed). Be careful and it should be clean coriander water, no dust or any dirt should enter our eyes.
Coriander seeds are filled with vitamins and minerals. It is filled with proteins, carbohydrates, phosphorus, calcium, iron, Vitamin B, C and A.
Let us see the recipe Now :
No Onion or Garlic is used here in this Jack Seeds - Southekai Kootu. 
Mangalore Cucumber is known as Mangalore Southekai/ Bannada Southekai, Haladi Southekai.

Things Needed : 

To Cook :
Southe kai / Mangalore Cucumber : 1 Bowl . ( 1/2 of One big Southekai )
Jack Seeds : 1 Small bowl (About 10 Seeds).
Methi Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
To Grind :
Fresh Grated Coconut : 5 to 6 Tablespoons
Coriander Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Tamarind : 1 Big Marble size
Jeera / Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Pepper Pods : 3 to 4
Red chilly : Byadagi : 4 to 5
 To Add :
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : A pinch
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard Seasoning : 1 Tablespoon : 1/2 Teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 red chilly, pinch of ingh and curry leaves with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.

Method :

1. Remove the outer shell of jack seeds and cut them into small pieces. Soak in plain water for 10 minutes.
2. Wash and remove the outer layer, pulp and seeds inside the southekai.
3. Cut Southekai into small pieces and soak in plain water for  5 minutes. It helps in take away the bitterness in Southekai.
4. Put cut Southekai pieces and jack seeds pieces in a pressure cooker. Add methi seeds and required water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.

5.Grate coconut and add coriander seeds, jeera, red chilly, pepper pods and grind it with required water.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked Southekai and jack seeds to it. Add turmeric powder and required salt. Mix it well and boil for  2 to 3 minutes.

7. Add ground coconut, coriander mixture to boiling mixture and mix it well. Let it cook for 4 to 5 minutes.

8. Put little coriander leaves to the cooked curry and shift it to the serving dish, Add mustard, red chilly, ingh, curry leaves seasoning on the top.

  9. Serve with the main dish you have prepared. You can add a spoon of fresh ghee just before serving.

Note :

Do not over cook the vegetables. Soaking jack seeds helps to cook seeds nicely and soft. Adding less/more coconut is optional. You can add 1/2 teaspoon of soaked raw rice while grinding. ( Soak raw rice for 5 minutes and then add/ optional). It helps the kootu to be thick. Do not add more tamarind. The curry gets savoury. Use of coconut oil is optional. Do not roast coriander seeds and jeera. Adding methi seeds while cooking vegetable helps to reduce the cholesterol in curry.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Alasande/southekai Kootu /Jeera Curry

Alasande /Cow Peas and Southekai /Mangalore Cucumber Kootu /Curry is one of the Udupi style dish and it goes well with all most all the main dishes. 

I have used fresh Alasande/ cow peas, carrots, Southekai/Mangalore cucumber and coconut.
No Onion or No garlic is used in this Kootu Curry. This type of curry is done during festivals, feast and some grand functions.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed : 

To Cook :
Alasane /Cow Peas : 1 Cup
Southekai /Mangalore Cucumber : 1
Carrots :  2 ( Small Ones).
To Grind : 
Coconut : 1 Cup
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Tamarind : Tamarind seed size. (Very small)
To Add :
Ground coconut mixture
Salt : As required
Seasoning :
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and  pressure cook  cow peas and vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes. Let it cool.

2. Grate coconut and grind it with coriander seeds, jeera, green chilly and tamarind.

3. Keep a big pan on the fire and put cooked vegetables in it. Add salt, turmeric. Let it boil.

4. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it well. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Shift the curry to a serving dish. Add seasoning and serve with your choice of main dish.

Note :

Do not over cook the vegetables. You can cook them separately. Adding more /less green chilly is optional. Use of coconut oil for seasoning is optional. No need to roast /fry any spice. Do not add much tamarind to this curry. Use of curd instead of tamarind is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 . 
Purely South Indian Dish. 

Basale & Dil Leaves Kootu /Curry

Basale leaves are known as Malabar leaves and Dil leaves are sabbassige soppu in Kannada.
This Kootu is goes well with almost all the main dishes.

Basale and dil leaves are from our garden. We do grow flowers and little vegetables in pots on our terrace. It gives so much pleasure when you use your homegrown vegetables.
I have used pepper, green chilly, beans, leaves, toor dal jeera and mustard seeds.
Let us see the benefits of black pepper in our diet.
Black pepper is used since ancient time in cooking and it rich source of medicinal values. It is good for cough, cold, fever and stomach upset. It helps to improve the digestion in our body. It is good remedy for intestinal gas. It has good antioxidant properties. It helps to improve our immune system.
It is loaded with magnesium, Vitamin K, Iron and fiber. It adds taste to the food we eat.
Black Pepper/Pepper Corn is also used in easing aches, muscle pains and inflammatory arthritis. It has antibacterial, antioxidant and immune boosting properties.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

To Cook:
Basale/Malabar leaves : 1 Bowl (1 Small bundle)
Dil /Sabbassige leaves : 1/2 bowl. ( 1 Small bundle)
French beans : 250 Grams
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
To Grind : 
Fresh grated coconut : 1/2 Cup
Pepper pods : 4 to 5
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
To add :
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Ground coconut masala
Green chilly : 2 to 3 
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 Leaves
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little

 Method :

1. Clean and wash the leaves, cut off the hard stem and cut the leaves into small. (Basale and Dil leaves). Wash and cut curry leaves, slit green chilly and cut coriander leaves into very small.

2.Wash and remove the edges of beans and cut into very small pieces.

3. Wash and cook moong dal in a pressure cooker.

4.Cook leaves and cut beans separately in a pan with required water. Add slit chilly to it.
5. Grate coconut and grind it with jeera, pepper pods and 1/2 teaspoon of mustard. Use required water to grind.

6. Keep a big bowl on the fire and put cooked leaves, beans and cooked moong dal.
7. Add a little turmeric powder, required salt and little water. Mix it nicely and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

 8. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it well. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

 9. Shift   Basale & Dil leaves Kootu to a serving dish.
10. Add coconut oil, mustard seeds, jeera, ingh and curry leaves seasoning to Hot Kootu.
11. Add cut coriander leaves on the top.
12. Serve with any choice of your main dish with Basale & Dil Leaves Kootu Curry.

Note : 

Cooking leaves and beans separately is always better or it will be over cooked in pressure cooker.
Adding more chilly is optional. Adding jeera /cumin seeds helps the curry to digest well. Adding a teaspoon of lemon juice is optional. ( I have not added). Adding a cup of thick curd is optional. It taste different.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5 
Purely South Indian Dish.