Kootu is a South Indian dish made of vegetables and lentils. Kootu pairs well with any thogayal. You do not have to prepare rasam or samber. This kootu is very simple, easy to prepare and is also very healthy and light. It needs no oil except for seasoning. It can be had with rice, roti/phulkas and chapati. Today we will learn how to make sorakkai kootu following this easy recipe.
Sorakkai Kootu-Bottle Gourd Kootu
Prep Time : 10 mins
Cook Time : 15 mins
Serves: 4
Recipe Category: Side Dish
Recipe Cuisine: South Indian-Tamil Brahmin
Author:Padhu Sankar
Serves: 4
Recipe Category: Side Dish
Recipe Cuisine: South Indian-Tamil Brahmin
Author:Padhu Sankar
Ingredients needed
Bottle gourd -Cubed 3 cups full
Moong dal/pasi paruppu -3 tbsp
Sambar powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Salt as required
For Grinding (raw)
Grated Coconut -2 tbsp
Cumin seeds/Jeera -1 tsp
Fried gram/chutney kadalai – 1/2 tbsp
For the seasoning
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
Red chilli -1
Asafoetida/hing – a pinch
Curry leaves -little
Preparation
Peel the skin, scoop out the seeds and chop the bottle gourd into cubes.
Grind coconut, cumin seeds and fried gram to a smooth paste. Fried gram is used for thickening. You can also use 3/4 tsp of rice flour instead of fried gram.
Method
In a pressure pan, add the chopped bottle gourd, salt, sambar powder, moong dal, needed water and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
Add the ground paste and simmer for a few minutes.
Heat 1 tsp of oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dal, red chilli, hing and curry leaves. When dal turns golden brown, pour the seasoning over the kootu.
Serve hot with rice or chappati or roti.
Note
Instead of moong dal/pasi parupu, tur dal or mixture of tur dal (1 tbsp) + moong dal (2 tbsp) can be used. In that case tur dal has to be pressure cooked separately. Some prefer to cook bottle gourd separately in water. You can do that also but I have given an easier version using the pressure pan.
Variation
In this method, bengal gram is used along with the other dals and grinding is not required. After cooking the bottlegourd separately in water, add the pressure cooked dal (moong dal -2 tbsp, tur dal 1 tsp, bengal gram dal -2 tsp) and grated coconut. Boil for a few minutes on medium flame and then season it with the ingredients given under seasoning.
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I loved ur blog…nice to see all ur carvings..quite innovative…WOW
lovely recipe,absolutely fabulous…never tasted bottle guard before.i am making this for for the first time and it came out well…THANK U GAL FOR THIS…waiting for more from u..go girl go…GOD BLESS U
just came across your blog.. need recipes for my Father in law who is visiting.. Your blog is soooooooooooooo super helpful.. I know a few already.. but there are tons of things I didn't know and am gonna try and do loads from here.. thanks so much for this super super work
Really enjoy your receipes. I was raised in the US but long for the traditional south Indian receipes which I get from your blog. My daughter enjoys your carvings.
Your recipes are too good. Awesome decoration with each dish. I wonder how do you find time. It is beyond words…..tooooooooooooo good.
ur receipes are awesome Padhu… u rock.
Hi Padma/Padhu, wud like to try out your sorakkai kootu recipe, just have one question, wud appreciate your clarification on it. Is fried gram what is also known as roasted bengal gram or phutnal pappu? If not should I just fry some chana dal in a bit of oil? Will let you know how the dish turned out once I try it. The veg carving looks good!
Yes, fried gram is roasted gram dal. It is known as pottu kadalai in tamil and pacchi senaga pappu or putanalu pappu in telugu
Your recipes are too good and I like your innovations. You are so versatile and am looking forward for many recipes.
All ur recipes are so delicious. I loved ur recipes
ur recipes are wonderful and im trying many of them. My daughter tried banana cake and it came out so well. 🙂
R u from Nala Maharaja family………
I used to never buy bottlegourd…. But after trying this kootu will Include more often. Can't wait to try the kofta next.
I don't check any other sites except Padhus Kitchen for my cooking…great recipes..
I did this kootu today, it was hit in my home and my hubby likes it much.
Good going… i like most of ur recipes.
Great recipe…. I always refer to ur site for all my dishes…. Thanks Paddu
Hey Padhu, tried this recipe came out well,taste was awesome, thanks for sharing:)
Hi Padhu..
Can I add regular sambar powder(I use – sakthi brand) for this kootu, will it alter the taste…
Yes, you can add. The taste differs according to the sambar podi (as they have different proportions).
I tried this several times and it is a gift to us who doesnt know basics of cooking on our own
Thanks your recipe is really simple and good to taste.Maggie
Thanks for a nice recipe
Can i add fennel seeds instead of cumin? Ply reply.. Thanks in advance!
If you like the taste, you can but it will be very strong.
Instead of adding sambar powder can I add green chillies while making the paste??
Yes, you can. That will give a different taste.
Tried the recipe today,came out well. Thanks a lot!
Can we add cumin and fennel seeds together?
Add either one.
came out amazing… tasted just like authentic poricha kootu
Hi Padhu,
Tried this kootu and came out very tasty… 🙂
Thanks padhu,ds recipe s my final resort from my cooks complicated n tasteless kootu fa months, cam out v well
Hi … A big fan of your blog.
Can I add dry coconut shavings if fresh coconut is not available?
Thank you for liking my blog. You can add dry coconut.
Thanks Padhu, the kootu was very tasty. Just made yesterday!