SORAKAYA PACHADI | BOTTLE GOURD CHUTNEY

Cuisine: Andhra Pradesh, India

INGREDIENTS:

Bottle gourd (peeled and chopped) – 1 kg

Tomato (chopped) – 4

Green chilies (slit) – 10

Garlic cloves – 7

Tamarind (torn into small pieces) – marble sized

Oil – 4 tablespoons

Chana dal (split Bengal gram) – 1 teaspoon

Urad dal (split black gram) – 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Cumin seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Salt – as required

METHOD:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan. Fry the green chillies until lightly browned, then remove and set aside.

2. Add the chopped bottle gourd to the same pan and cook until tender.

3. Add the tomato, tamarind and turmeric powder.

4. Cook until the tomato and bottle gourd are soft and mushy, and the mixture thickens. Turn off the stove and allow the mixture to cool.

5. Grind the fried green chilies and garlic cloves together into a fine paste.

6. Add the cooked bottle gourd and tomato mixture along with salt. Grind again until you get a fine paste.

7. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add chana dal and urad dal and fry until lightly golden brown. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. Then add the curry leaves.

8. Add the ground chutney to the tempering and mix well. Cook for a few seconds, then turn off the stove.

9. Serve with rice or roti.