Soraikai – Mochai Kara Kuzhambu

Other Names: Bottle Gourd – Val Beans Curry. Suraikai – Mochai Puli Kuzhambu. Lauki Curry. Sorakaya Pulusu.

On the other day, bunch of my local friends showed up at an odd time! I wasn’t prepared for a formal lunch meeting! …was bit skeptical to go ahead and fix the ethnic meal that I had in mind. Sometimes, its awkward to prepare everything in old fashioned way without being embarrassed. As I told you all before’ I don’t compromise or disguise my Mommy’s recipe. I had this intense gut feeling, no one could possibly turn this down.

See, I have cooked several times an elaborate banquets for my friends…with all sorts of rich and fancy ingredients! Ironically they all loved this simple native dish. Not only that they relished it to the bottom, packed it to their partners. I received lot of ‘whoos and wooow’s over this….what can I say, …they just made my day:):)

Ingredients:

Bottle Gourd 1 small – cubed
Val Beans – Seeds 1 cup(soaked overnight)
Pearl Onions chopped 1 cup
Garlic 5-7 cloves – crushed
Tomato 1 small – chopped
Salt
Turmeric
Chili powder
Jaggery/brown sugar 1 spoon
Sesame oil 1 table spoon
Thalippu vadagam
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Fenugreek seeds 1 pinch
Asafoetida 1 pinch
Dry chili 1 minced
Curry leaves few.

Method:

Pressure cook val-beans, and set aside. Do not discard the water.

In a wide iron wok, heat about 1/2 table spoon of oil.

Add the garlic, onions and keep frying. Now add tomatoes, cover and cook briefly.

Now add salt, turmeric, chili and jaggery. Followed by vegetables…stir-fry briefly. Add val beans along with its water. Continue cooking over low to medium heat with lid. Once the curry thickens, its done.

In a separate pan, heat oil and add all the tempering spices, wait till they pop and splutter…now run the same over the curry prepared. Yum, right.

Serve warm with plain steamed rice.