Sorekai Kootu ( Dooodhi or Marrow )

Sorekai  or Bottle gourd Kootu ( Doodhi or Marrow ) is a mild spicy gravy dish. Sorekai is a very healthy vegetable and we can prepare many dishes using this vegetable.

Kootu means curry and Kootu is also prepared with many variations . We can prepare kootu with many vegetables like Bottle gourd, ridge gourd, snake gourd etc. The spices also vary. Here I have used little jeera and green chilly and coconut. It is very mild and goes well with rice, chapatis, pooris, idli and dosa. Using coconut oil adds to the taste of the curry.
Lets see some benefits of having Bottle gourd in our daily diet.
Bottle gourd is easy to digest and helps the liver function in a balanced. way. 
It is full of minerals and fiber. It is cooling and calming.
It 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 such as calcium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, Vitamin A, C and folate. ( one of the B Vitamin or Folic acid ).
It is extremely popular for weight loss. ( Especially the bottle gourd juice). It is good for reducing high blood pressure and keeping your heart healthy.
It contain a good amount of  fiber and it helps to fight constipation,
Here is a recipe as I said earlier it is easy to prepare and not many spices are used and it is also a quick recipe.
No onion or garlic is used in this " Sorekai Kootu and we can have them on festival or some special fasting days too.
Things needed:

Sorekai :1/2
Coconut : 1 Small cup or 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Jeera ( Cummin Seeds ) : 1/2 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Salt : to taste
Water : 1 Cup
Mustard Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Urd Daal 1/4 Teaspoon (optional)
Ingh : a pinch
Methid seeds ( 4 to 5 )
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Coriander leaves : 1 to 2 Table spoons.

 

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of bottle gourd and cut it into small pieces and keep it aside.

2. Boil cut bottle gourd pieces with little water till they turn soft.

3. Grate coconut and grind it with jeera, green chilly with little water.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat . Put oil , mustard seeds, urid and methi seeds. Let it  splutter.
5. Now add curry leaves and ingh . Add boiled Sorekai to the  mustard. Add salt and turmeric powder. Add ground coconut mixture.

6. Let it boil nicely for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in between so that it does not burn at the bottom. Shift the ready curry to a serving dish.

7.Add cut coriander leaves and serve with hot rice or chapatis .

8.. You can also add curd to this curry and serve. It taste very nice like majjige huli. ( Curd gravy )

Note :
Do not over cook the vegetable and the curry should not be watery also.
Cook on medium heat. Adding 1 spoon of ghee will give better taste.
You can add red chillies instead of green chillies.
Carrots or cabbage , or white pumpkin also can be used instead of Sorekai.
Use more chillies if you like it hot. You can also use 1/2 tea spoon of soaked rice while grinding coconut. ( It helps the curry to be thick).
Using urid dal is optional. I have used methi and mustard seeds.
You can also use onions and garlic. Use onions while cooking and garlic while frying mustard seeds.
Time : 20 minutes
Servings : 2 to 3.

Brinjal Tomato Capsicum Bartha

Brinjal Tomato bartha is a gravy side dish. We in Udupi (Karnataka State) prepare bartha very often with brinjal/egg plant and tomatoes. It is done in different ways. It is spicy, tangy with little sweet and goes well with almost all the main dish.

Brinjal Tomato bartha goes well with Rice and Chapatis and Rotis too. Bartha means its cooked and smashed spicy dish.
I have used brinjal, capsicum and tomatoes with little spices. It is a spicy dish.
No  onions or garlic is used in the curry.

Ingredients :

To Cook :
Brinjal : 1 ( Medium Size )
Tomato : 2 ( Small size)
Capsicum : 1
To Add 
Pepper pods : 3 to 4
Green chillies : 2
Ginger : a small piece
Coriander Leaves : 2 sticks
Salt : to taste
Rasam Powder : 2 Teaspoons
Jaggary (Option ) : 1 Table spoon
Water : 1/2 cup
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
To Season : 
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Urd Daal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh : a pinch

Method :

1. Wash and cut capsicum, tomatoes, coriander leaves, green chilly. Crush pepper pods and keep it aside. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger. Wash it again and grate it.
2. Wash and cook brinjal in a pressure cooker for 5 to 6 minutes and leave it for cooling.
3. Remove the outer layer of brinjal once it is cool, smash the pulp and keep it aside.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add mustard seeds and urid dal. Let it splutter.
4. Add curry leaves, green chilly and ingh. Add cut capsicum. Fry nicely till it is soft.

5. Add tomatoes and fry for 2 minutes. Add smashed pulp and mix it well. Add jaggery. Add crushed pepper. Add grated ginger.

6. Add rasam powder, salt and little turmeric powder. Mix it nicely.

7. Add water if required (1/2 cup ). Let it cook nicely for 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Add coriander leaves and put off the fire. Shift the ready curry to a serving dish.

9. Brinjal Tomato Bartha is ready to serve.  Serve with a piece of onion.  (serving onion is optional)

Note :
You can cook brinjal as you like it.
1. Wash it, cut it into small pieces and cook in little water. Smash the whole thing nicely.
2. Wash the whole brinjal and pressure cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the outer skin once it is cooled. Smash the pulp and then use the pulp.
3. Wash and cook straight on gas burner. Apply little oil on the outer layer before keeping the brinjal on the burner. Remove the outer layer and use the pulp.
Use of spice according to your taste. You can add cut onions and garlic (optional). Use of jaggery is also optional. More/less. No need to add tamarind or lemon extract.
Any brand of rasam powder can be used. Use a round brinjal to prepare bartha.
Time : 15 minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.