Bottle Gourd & Val Beans Curry – Native Cooking!

Bottle Gourd & Val Beans Curry – Native Cooking!

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.

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10 Responses so far.

  1. This looks lovely .. thick, warm and comforting. have to try some val beans soon!
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  2. Prathibha says:

    Simple n delicious curry..looks yumm

  3. Jay says:

    wonderful presentation n flavors..
    Tasty Appetite

  4. Biny Anoop says:

    wow dat was quick…recipe looking gud….why did not u try to fix the problem…wat will happen wen this blog too reach the limit….i just found out today abt this blog

  5. aipi says:

    Homey n hearty dish! Delicious combo of ingredients n spices!
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  6. Dear Malar
    How are you? So after the Tantra now you are doing great with the Mantra, so you know lots of “Tantra – Mantra”. I like this recipe..we Bong cook lauki with dal but very different spicing. I shall try this one soon.
    have a nice week

  7. sangee vijay says:

    very spicy looking puli kuzhambu…i use to make karamani n bg should try with val beans …recipe looks so easy n inviting

  8. wow, love this recipe, specially the tempering, using of sesame oil etc. :)

  9. malar…that is an interesting combo….lovely snaps too….:)…all in all a nice post…

  10. Hi Malar, I thought that u were busy with ur personal work and so was taking a break from blogging.. never new u changed ur blog…Thanks for remembering me and stopping by… Happy to follow u again…
    That curry looks healthy and yummy…

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