Sorakkai Kootu | Lauki Channa dal Kootu | Bottle gourd kootu - Easy kootu recipes

Kootu is a traditional South Indian side dish served for rice. It is prepared with the goodness of dal and hence goes well with any kuzhambu, rasam and thogayal varieties. I have already shared chow chow kootu and carrot chow chow kootu recipes. This time I have prepared kootu with another healthy vegetable - bottle gourd(lauki). I started using this vegetable very recently only. It has lot of nutritive values and is perfect for summer time because of its water content.  

                                              

We usually make kootu with moong dal. But I replaced moong dal with channa dal in this recipe and it turned out good.  Also the dal is cooked just soft and not mushy. We can serve this kootu as a side dish for rice or even mix with hot rice and ghee and feed for kids or serve it as a side dish for roti.  

Sorakkai Kootu Recipe

Serves :  2 - 3 people

 

Ingredients

• Bottle gourd ( Lauki)  -  1 big
• Channa dal  -  3 tbsp
• Salt  -  as required

To grind

• Grated or dessicated coconut  -  1/4 cup
• Cumin seeds  -  2 tsp
• Green chilly  -  2 to 3 small

To temper

• Oil  -  2 tsp
• Mustard  -  1/2 tsp
• Split urad dal  -  1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida -  a generous pinch
• Curry leaves  -  1 sprig

 

Method

1. Wash and soak channa dal in water for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Peel the skin of lauki and remove the fleshy part in the centre. Chop into small cubes.
3. Keep the vegetable directly in the cooker by adding very less water, salt and a pinch of turmeric powder.  Drain the water from the dal and keep it in a separate bowl on top with water and a pinch of turmeric powder. 
4. Pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles. The dal should be cooked soft but not mushy. It has to retain its shape.
5. Grind coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds to a fine paste by adding little water.
6. In a pan, add the cooked vegetable, dal and the ground paste and mix well. Check for salt and add if required. 
7. Add water if the kootu is too thick and adjust the consistency of the kootu as required.
8. Cook it for 2 to 3 minutes so that everything blends well. Transfer to the serving bowl.
9. In the same pan, add oil and temper with mustard and asafoetida . Once mustard crackles, add urad dal and once dal turns brown, add curry leaves.
10. Transfer the tempered items to the kootu.
11. Serve kootu as a side dish for rice or even for rotis.

                                     

Notes

• Soaking dal before pressure cooking helps in reduce the cooking time and also makes it soft without turning mushy.
•  I usually add the required salt for the dish while pressure cooking itself. If you prefer, you can add little while pressure cooking and the remaining during the final cooking.         
• Add water as required since kootu needs to be of thicker consistency. In case the dish turns out to be watery, mix little rice flour with water and make it to a paste without lumps and add it to the boiling kootu. It will help in thickening the kootu. Do not add more flour as it will change the taste of the dish.                                                

Try this easy to prepare side dish.