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 

Simple Rava - Oats Idli (Plain)

Rava -Oats idly is a simply super dish and we can have them for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even as snack too.
Rava - Oats  idli normally is a quick done dish and you do not need much of time or ingredients. These idli is very easy to prepare and healthy too.

Rava is a wheat grain and Oats are known and labeled as Healthy food. Combining these too and prepared idly, using little curd, salt and Eno salt. Idlis are soft and spongy and fits for all age group people diet.

Lets see some benefits of using Oats and Curd.(Yogurt).
Oats enhance immune response to infection. It stabilizes the blood sugar. Oats are rich source of magnesium. They are full of fiber and they have antioxidant compounds. Oats help to control the blood pressure. They are great source of phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1

Using curd in your diet helps to improve the digestive system and strengthen the immune system. Helps to
cope with stomach problem and helps to get strong bones and teeth since it contain calcium. Helps to minimise the risk of high blood pressure.It also helps control high level of cholesterol.

Here is a recipe of Rava - Oats Idli , that is very easy to prepare and minimum ingredients that you have at home. As I said it before we can have these idli for any time of the day.

Ingredients :

Rava (Semolina) : 2 Cups (medium sized)
Oats : 2 Cups
Curd : 1 Cup
Eno Salt : 1 Tea spoon
Salt : Required
Water : required.

Method :

1. Roast oats and rava for 3 to 4 minutes and dry grind oats when it is cooled.

2. Put 1 glass of water to curd and mix it well.

3. Take a big bowl and add Semolina,, dry ground Oats, salt and curd.
4. Mix it well and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes.

5. Apply oil or ghee to the idli plates and keep it ready.\\\\

6. Put 2 glasses of water in a pressure cooker or idli cooker and keep it on fire. Let the water boil.
7. Now add Eno salt to rava oats mixture and mix it nicely. 

 8. Place a spoon of rava oats mixture in each mould in the idli plate.
9. Arrange the plates in the pressure cooker and steam for 10 minutes. (do not use weight).
10. Take out the idli from the pressure cooker and serve with your choice of side dish you have prepared.

 Note : 

Roasting rava is purely optional.  ( I have roasted).

Adding sour curd helps to get the best idli. You can also use cooking soda instead of Eno. You can add some grated coconut if you like. These idlis goes very well with any kind of sambar and coconut chutney.
Serves : 4 to 5 (20 idlis can be done)
Time : 30 minutes.