Lunch with Bitter Gourd Fry/Kakara Kaya Vepudu and Sorakaya/Bottle Gourd Dal

As a child, I remember my mother preparing Bitter Gourd pulusu(tamarind juice with some masala). I never use to like Bitter Gourd because of its bitterness

which kept me away from eating or even tasting it. But as we all women know things change once we get married and we get to learn and try knew things.

When I visited India this year, my sister convinced me in tasting this recipe which she made and said it wont be bitter at all. I liked it so much that i tried it after coming back to US. And here goes the recipe of Bitter Gourd Fry/Kakarkaya Vepudu. 

Serves 2-3
Preparation Time 35-40 mins
 

Ingredients for preparation :

 

Bitter Gourd/ Kakarkaya thoroughly washed 2-3
Curd 1-1.5 cups
Turmeric powder 1/2 tbsp
Tamarind 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds/Jeera 1/2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tbsp
Dry Red Chilli 2
Urad dal 1 tbsp

To make a dry powder :

Curry leaves 1/2 cup
Chilli powder 1/2 tbsp -1 tbsp depending upon your spice levels.
Jeera 1tbsp
Dhanyalu/Coriander seeds 1 tbsp

Method :

1. First scrape off the rough sides of the Bitter Gourd and cut it into round pieces.( scraping as shown in pic above)
2. Take a medium bottomed vessel and add the curd, turmeric powder, tamarind, little salt and the Bitter Gourd pieces to it. Now place the vessel on the stove and turn on the heat.
3. Let it cook for around 15-20 mins with covered lid until the water evaporates from the curd.(This process is to eliminate the bitterness).
4. Once you are done with it keep it aside and let it cool.
5. Remove the tamarind pieces out of the vessel and throw it.
6. Now take a saute pan, heat oil and add urad dal, mustard seeds, jeera, red chillies and fry them.
7. Then add the Bitter Gourd pieces and salt to it and saute them nicely.
8. Lastly, add the dry powder made out of the ingredients stated above and mix well.
9. When you start seeing the dryness the Bitter Gourd Fry is done.
10. Serve hot with rice and dal.

Sorakaya/Bottle Gourd Dal

Serves 2-4
Preparation Time 20-30 mins

Ingredients for preparation :

Bottle Gourd 1 small
Toor Dal 1/2 cup
Onion chopped 1 small
Tamarind water 1/2 cup
Chilli powder 1tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tbsp
Few Curry leaves
Oil 3-5 tbsp
Dry Red Chillies 2-3
Cumin seeds/Jeera 1/2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds 1/2 tbsp
Asafoetida a pinch
Garlic cloves 1-2

Method :

1. Wash the dal and pressure cook it with little tumeric powder, oil and salt.
2. Now take a deep vessel, heat oil then add asafoetida,mustard seeds, jeera, red chillies, curry leaves and chopped onion.
3. Fry them nicely till the onions loses its transparency.
4. Then add turmeric, chilli powder, salt and mix it.
5. Now, add the Bottle Gourd pieces cut into cubes with the skin on, to it and saute them. Let it fry for some time covered till the Bottle Gourd becomes soft.
6. After which add the tamarind extract or water to it and bring it to a boil.
7. Lastly, add the cooked dal to it and mix well.
8. Let it cook on medium flame for 5 mins and the dal is ready.
9. Serve hot with rice or roti with your favorite curry.