Ash Gourd - Moong Dal Bolu Huli /Curry

Ash Gourd - Moong dal Curry /Bolu Huli is one of the traditional dish from Udupi / Karnataka. I have added  tomatoes and fried moong dal. It is easy to prepare and easy to digest. One more healthy curry that you surely enjoy with all the main dishes.

Ash Gourd is filled with nutritious, vitamins and medicinal values. We do use each part of this vegetable, like the outer layer is used for preparing chutney. The vegetable is used for curry and other dishes. The inner part/pulp is used for curd curry and the seeds are dried and dry roasted and eaten.
Here I have prepared " Bolu Huli " which means curry that does not have coconut init. So the curries which are prepared with out using the coconut is called " Bolu ". ( ಬೋಳು).
Let us see some benefits of eating Ash Gourd /ಬೂದು ಕುಂಬಳಕಾಯಿ .
Ash gourd is also known as kumbalakayi. booda kumbalakayi in Kannada. The pumpkin is known as sihi kumbala.
Ash gourd is good for diabetic people. It is also good for loosing extra weight. Ash gourd juice helps to treat acidity and peptic ulcer. Ash gourd is good for people who suffer from constipation.
Ash Gourd is rich in fiber and contain Vitamin C and minerals like phosphorus, iron and calcium.
 Let us see the recipe Now :
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this Ash Gourd - Moong Dal Bolu Huli /Curry.

Ingredients :

Ash Gourd : 1 Big bowl. (250 Grams).
Moong Dal : 1 Small cup. /2 to 3 Tablespoons
Green chilly : 3 to 4
Tomatoes : 2 ( Medium sized )
Ginger : An inch
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : A pinch
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Lemon : 1/2 lemon juice  /1 Teaspoon
For seasoning :
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh / Asafoetida : A pinch ( A little )

Method : 

1. Wash Ash gourd nicely and remove its outer hard layer. Remove the pulp and seeds.
2. Cut the vegetable into small pieces. Keep it aside.

3. Wash tomatoes, curry leaves, coriander leaves, green chilly and keep it aside.
4. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
5. Cut tomatoes, slit green chilly and cut coriander leaves. Wash and cut lemon in to halves. Squeeze out the extract from half lemon.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil and mustard seeds. Put urid dal.
7. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add slit green chilly, ingh and curry leaves. Add grated gu
8. Wash and remove the water from moong dal and add it to mustard seeds seasoning.

9. Fry nicely for 1 to 2 minutes. Add cut ash gourd pieces, tomatoes and put some water.

10. Pressure cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Let it cool.

11. Put cooked ash gourd - moong mixture. Add salt, turmeric powder and mix it. Add required water and let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.. Add lemon extract.

12. Shift Ash gourd - moong dal bolu huli /curry to serving bowl. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note : 

Use of pressure cooker is optional. You can cook it separately. Prepare the seasoning and add cooked ingredients and them mix it. Adding any other spices is optional. Adding more chilly is optional. Adding a tablespoon ghee to curry is optional. It adds to the taste.
Time 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.

Urid - Moong Dal Kadubu

" Eat breakfast like a king  lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper " is an old saying.

Yes, you need to eat breakfast nicely. That helps you stay healthy for a long duration. But you should also note one should eat good healthy breakfast. Here is such one breakfast  prepared using urid and moong dal. Dals/legumes are healthy and rich in proteins.

I have used Urid dal, moong dal, very little amount of rava / semolina, pepper, ginger, curry leaves and green chilly. 

I call this food as Kadubu because it is fermented and steamed food. We can call it as spicy kadubu or tatte kadubu. You can try out dokla which is very famous Gujarathi /Rajastani food. You can add seasoned mustard and bit of sugar /jaggery mixture on the top with coconut gratings. 

You can have any type of chutney or gojju. We had this kadubu with pickle, Curry leaves chutney powder and Kesu /colocasia gojju / curry.

This Urid - Moong Dal Kadubu is good for breakfast, as snack in the evening and for dinner. 

Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed : 

Urid dal : 1 Cup 

Moong Dal : 1 cup

Rava /Semolina : 1 Handful : Optional

Pepper Pods : 6 to 8 

Curry Leaves : 6 to 8

Coriander leaves :  2 Tablespoons

Salt : To Taste

Asafoetida : A little 

Eno Salt : 3/4 Tablespoon

Method :

1. Wash and soak urid dal and moong dal for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Grind it with pepper pods with required water. ( Grind it nicely ).

3. Remove from the mixi jar and put the batter in a big bowl. Add salt and mix it well.

4. Let it ferment for over night or 5 to 6 hours.

5. Wash and cut coriander leaves, curry leaves, washed - grated ginger and mix it with the batter.

6. Add a little asafoetida and mix it well. Add a handful of rava and mix it. (2 to 3 tablespoons)

7. Apply ghee or oil to two bowls or plates . I used one cooker container and a round plate.

8. Mix all the ingredients nicely and add 1teaspoon of eno. Mix it well and pour it to the plate and the container.

9. Keep a pressure cooker or idli cooker on the fire and put some water. Place a bowl inside.

10. Keep the batter filled bowl and the plate inside the cooker and cover its lid.

11. Let it cook for 25 to 30 minutes. 

12. Remove the cooker lid and prick the knife edge to cooked kadubu to know it is done. ( Cooked completely)

13. Remove it from the cooker and leave it for few seconds. Sprinkle some water on the top and cut kadubu into half and quarter. 

14. Remove it from the plate and put it to a serving plate. 

15. Serve with the side dish you have prepared and a spoon of fresh ghee.

Note : 

Grind dals with required water. Adding pepper while grinding helps to reduce the gas content in dals.

The batter should be fermented well to get soft kadubu. Adding rava /semolina is optional.

Time :

Soaking time : 2 hours + grinding 5 to 8 minutes + fermentation 6 hours and cooking time + 30 Minutes. 

Serves : 4 to 5 .

You can try with same kadubu as dokla..Add mustard seeds and jaggery / sugar mixture on the top of kadubu and serve with coconut chutney.