Gourd number 1: Bottle Gourd/Calabash
I have never tasted the bottle gourd/lauki (I have no clue how to pronounce it). This is an usual way I cook other squash/gourd types.
My favorite lentil/pulse is the split chickpea. Yummiest of all. Have you tried it? If not, please do. Just cook them mushy, add salt, roast cumin seeds in 1 tsp hot oil, add it to the lentils, you could have that as a meal. Any legumes, if you can't find it in woolies/coles/any grocery out there, you could head to an Indian shop and find yourself in a heaven of lentils - I kid you not, at least 20 types. :)
Now back to the recipe,
Ingredients:
- Split chickpea-1/2 cup soaked in hot water for 30 mins and boil until its done. Not mushy though
- Calabash-2 nos-peeled-chop them fine
- Onion- 1 and 1/2 finely chopped
- Tomato- 2 (I like to boil them in hot water for 5 mins-peel the skin and blend them. Less oil goes into the curry. You could chop them instead)
- Ginger-1" piece
- Garlic-5-6 pods
- Green chili -optional -cut very fine (I avoid chilies- this is for spice lovers out there- I don't eat spicy, yes I am Indian - one exception out there-my mom usually cooks two types in every meal-before chili, after chili)
- Chili powder-1 tsp
- Coriander powder - 3 tsp
- Sambar powder-1 tsp
- 1-2 tsp oil
- Black mustard seeds-1 tsp
- Curry leaves-3 (optional- am addicted to curry leaves)
Method:
- Blend ginger, garlic, tomatoes into a fine paste
- In a pan, add 1-2 tsp oil, mustard seeds, wait for it to pop, add curry leaves, onion, fry them by sprinkling water, salt, once done, add tomato puree in.
- Add chili powder, coriander powder, sambar powder and fry until its almost dry, add the squash and lentils in and add a cup of water and salt until the squash is done.
- Garnish with coriander leaves (optional).
- If you feel the curry is too watery, add 1 cornflour to 1 -2 Tbsp water and the most easiest curry of all times.
I have just realized I blend a lot of things, I reread my posts and almost every single post has blend this/blend that. Is that weird? I can't cook without my blender. I really can't :P
