Bottle gourd chutney

                

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups bottle gourd cubes, with skin

1/2 tbsp bengal gram/senaga pappu/chana dal

1/2 tbsp split gram dal/minappa pappu

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds (optional)

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (optional)

2 dry red chillis, de-seed

3 green chillis, chop each into two

4-5 garlic cloves

1 tsp jaggery or sugar

gooseberry sized tamarind (soaked in 2-3 tbsps warm water)

salt to taste

3 tsps oil

For seasoning/poppu/tadka:

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp black gram dal

1-2 dry red chillis

few fresh curry leaves

1/2 tsp oil

1 Heat 3 tsps oil in a cooking vessel, add bengal gram, split gram dal, cumin seeds and coriander seeds and stir fry for 3 mts or till the dals turn red. Remove and keep aside.
2 In the same vessel, add garlic, red chillis, green chillis, coriander leaves and curry leaves and fry on medium heat for a mt. Remove and keep aside.
3 In the same vessel, add the remaining oil, add the chopped bottle gourd cubes and saute for 12 mts or till the rawness of the vegetable goes and the water evaporates. Remove and cool.
4 Once cool, grind the dals first till coarsely ground, add the rest of the sauteed ingredients along with tamarind extract, jaggery and salt and grind to a paste.
5 Heat half a tsp of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let them pop, add black gram dal and let it turn red, add curry leaves and dry red chillis and stir fry for a few seconds.
6 Pour the seasoning over the ground pachadi and serve with hot rice