Bottle Gourd Lentil Curry

I had been to an Indian grocery yesterday and I love experimenting with different squash varieties. I came home with so many types of squash and gourds that I couldn't fit them in my refrigerator

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