Sorekai or Bottle Gourd Juice.

Sorekai/Bottle Gourd Juice is very good for health and it helps to reduce the gastric and toxin in our body.
I have used bottle gourd, salt and lemon.

Things Needed :

Sorekai/Bottle gourd : 1 cup . (1/4 of medium sized Bottle Gourd cut in to pieces ).
Lemon : 1
Water : 2 glasses.
Pepper powder : A pinch
Salt : a pinch

Method :

1. Wash and cut Sorekai/bottle gourd and grind it nicely.
2. Remove from the mixi jar and mix it with water. Add salt.

4. Add pepper powder and lemon juice and mix it well.

5. Serve the ready Sorekai/Bottle Gourd Juice. (Add ice cube just before serving) (Optional).

Note :
Grind bottle gourd pieces with little water till paste to get good consistency. You can also grate some pieces and add it while serving. Adding Honey (2 tablespoons) adds to the taste. Adding more lemon is optional. Adding chat masala or jeera powder is optional.
Serves : 2 to 3
Time : 10 Minutes.

Sorekai Kootu (Doodi or Lauki or Bottle gourd) ( Pepper Kootu)

Sorekai /Bottle gourd/Lauki Kootu is one of spicy and tasty side dish. Kootu is a side dish prepared using vegetables and little spice. I have seen my friends preparing this type of kootu with varieties of vegetables.

I have used bottle gourd, Ridge gourd as vegetables, channa dal, pepper pods, curry leaves, ingh and byadagi chilly as spices. This type of Kootu is very famous dish of Iyengars.
This Sorekai and Ridge gourd pepper Kootu is one of the Iyengars signature dish that I learnt it from our close Iyengar friend. Strictly do not use onions or garlic to this Kootu Curry.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients : 

To Cook :
Sorekai/Bottle Gourd : 1 ( Medium sized)
Heerekai/ Ridge Gourd
To Dry roast /fry 
Channa dal : 1 Teaspoon
Pepper Pods : 5 to 6
Red chilly : 2
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 leaves
Oil : 1 Teaspoon ( Optional)
To Grind :
Dry roasted /Fried spices
Coconut : 3 to 4 Tablespoons. ( 1/2 Cup)
For Tempering / Seasoning
Oil /ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh : A pinch
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Red chilly ( Any variety ): 1
To Add :
Turmeric powder : A little
Salt : As required

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer /peel off  of bottle gourd and Ridge Gourd.
2. Cut it into small pieces and cook with required water till soft. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and dry roast /fry channa dal till they turn golden brown.
4. Add red chilly and pepper pods to it and fry for 1 minute.
5. Put off the gas and add curry leaves and ingh. Add grated coconut.

6. Grind fried ingredients with coconut. Add required water to grind. Shift the ground mixture to a bowl.
7. Now keep a pan and add cooked bottle gourd and ridge gourd pieces. Add turmeric powder and salt.
8. Add little water and let it boil for 2 minutes.
9. Add ground coconut spice mixture and mix it well. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

10. Shift the kootu a serving dish. Add tempered mustard seeds mixture to the curry and mix it well.
11. Add washed and cut coriander leaves and mix it well.
12. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :
Use of other vegetables like, carrots, beans, clustered beans is optional. Use of chilly/Chilly powder is optional. Using red byadagi chilly adds to the taste. Use of ghee to temper the kootu adds to the taste. Pepper pods are good for health. It helps to digest the food well. Do not use onions or garlic to this kootu. It may spoil the original taste.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 ..