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 ..

Wheat Flour Veggy Modakas (Momos)

Wheat flour Veggy Modakas are healthy food and you can have them for break fast or dinner or as evening snack.

Things Needed:
Wheat Flour : 2 cups
Mixed Vegetables : 2 cups. ( Beans, Carrots and Peas).
Green chilly: 2
Salt : to taste
Water : required
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons.
Jeera: 1 Tea spoon
Ginger: an inch
Ghee : 2 Table spoons.
Method : Cut beans . carrots , green chilly and ginger into small pieces.  Boil these vegetables and peas ( fresh)  with required water until soft.
Put wheat flour in a big bowl and add a spoon of ghee and mix well . Add little salt and prepare dough using required water. It should be chapati dough consistency.  keep this dough aside.
Now take a pan and keep it on a fire. Put 1 spoon of ghee and add jeera and cut ginger. Fry them for a few seconds and add cut vegetables and peas mix well. Add little water and cook till soft. Add required salt  and mix well. Let all the water disappear from the vegetables. Now add coriander leaves and keep it aside.
Now prepare small balls from the dough and flatten them using little wheat flour and a chapati roller.
Place a spoonful of cooked vegetables and cover this from all side and give a Modak shape. Prepare all the Vegetable balls as same and arrange them on a  plate.( Steel or aluminium plate).
Cook these Veggy Modaks in a Idli cooker or Pressure cooker for 10 minutes.
Serve these Veggy Modakas with coconut chutney or Pickle or Tomato Ketchup.
Note : Can add potatoes to these veggy mixture.  Can serve this with ghee to increase the taste of Veggy Modakas.

12 to 15 Veggy Modakas can be prepared.