Bottle Gourd and Carrot Kofta Curry

If there is one thing I like about vegetables is that some of them are extremely versatile; they can be used across cuisines and courses. For instance, carrots can go into curries, dry sabzis and the all time favorite dessert, carrot halwa. Another such vegetable is the bottle gourd. This again can be cooked in myriad ways.

This is also a vegetable that many people don't prefer, or sometimes don't know how to incorporate into a meal. Here's an interesting way to include this gourd into your culinary repertoire.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

For Kofta

Grated bottle gourd – 1 cup (approx)

Grated carrot – ¼ cup (approx)

Salt – 1 tsp + more to taste

Chili powder to taste

Besan (gram flour) as required

Oil for deep frying

For Gravy

Tomato – 1 (large)

Chopped onion – ½ cup

Chopped red bell pepper – ½ cup (optional)

Garlic – 1 clove

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Chili powder to taste

Salt to taste

Coriander/cilantro for garnish

Oil

Method

Add 1 tsp of salt to the grated vegetables and keep aside for 10 minutes. The salt will bring out all the water content in the bottle gourd. Squeeze out all the excess water and keep aside (this can be used in the gravy of the curry or to knead the dough for your chappathis). Add a little more salt and chili powder to the vegetables. Add the besan and incorporate well to form a sticky mixture. The bottle gourd will keep absorbing the besan, so add just enough to ensure that a ball made of the mixture will hold its shape.

Heat oil in a deep vessel. Once it is hot, deep fry the koftas and drain on a paper towel.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and add the garlic. Sauté for a minute and add the chopped onion. Sauté until the onions are tender and add the chopped tomato and bell pepper (if using), turmeric powder, chili powder and salt. Cover and allow to simmer until tomatoes are cooked and mushy. Remove from the heat and blend into a smooth mixture.

Return to the pan and allow to simmer and thicken a little. Add the garam masala and turn off the heat. When you are ready to serve, place the koftas in a serving bowl and pour the hot gravy over it. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot with chappathis or rice. Bon Appétit.

Note: A shortcut for the gravy – I used ¾ can of V8 low sodium vegetable juice, which has a tomato base. To that I added a blended mixture of cooked onions and red bell pepper and the remaining ingredients.

Bottle Gourd (Lauki) Raitha

The Square Meals duo apologizes for being MIA for a month and a half…we are extremely sorry, once again. 

Deliciously Yours,

Square Meals

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Summer 2013 was erratic, for lack of a better word. I reached Chennai in time for the dreaded Agni Nakshathram (supposedly the hottest days in Chennai), and survived them without much trouble. It cooled down a bit and then came June with even hotter days. Those I had trouble with, maybe because it was unexpected, unlike the scheduled ones in May. Anyway, all said and done, the heat waves of Chennai gave me ample opportunities to savor some delightful raithas and thirst-quenching buttermilk…which I am missing now!!!

It was during that time that I enjoyed this refreshing raitha that my mother made for dinner one night. We had it with chapathis and I fell in love with the combination of yogurt and bottle gourd. It is the best thing that can happen to your body at the end of (or middle of) a hot summer day, trust me.

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

Bottle gourd – 3/4^th cup (grated)

Yogurt – 1 cup

Finely chopped green chilies – 1-2

Cumin powder – a pinch

Oil – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

Peel and grate the bottle gourd. Heat oil in a small pan and add the bottle gourd to it. Add a pinch of salt and sauté for about 4-5 minutes; just to ensure that the raw taste/smell is gone. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool completely. Meanwhile, beat together the yogurt, green chilies, cumin powder and some salt. Keep chilled. Once the bottle gourd has cooled completely, add to the yogurt mixture, mix well and add more salt if required. Serve chilled with parathas, chapathis, pulav etc. Bon Appétit.

P.S. I have mentioned that this quantity can serve 2-3 people…but if you are like me and love a good raitha, this might just be enough for one.