Green Gram Bottle Gourd Curry / Moong bean Bottle Gourd Curry

Today's recipe is an Interesting Side dish/Curry which i tried few weeks back. This curry is in between a South Indian Kuzhambu & a North Indian Sabzi. I added Tamarind paste to this curry like we do for Kara Kuzhambu and also i added finely chopped ginger and a pinch of Garam Masala powder like a North Indian Sabzi. With all my desired ingredients the curry turned out so good with mild tangy taste and it tasted delicious with both plain rice & rotis. We had this for our lunch with Rice & pappad and i served the left over curry with Rotis for dinner. So if you are looking for a different side dish from your regular cooking with great taste then try this curry, its more healthy & low calorie recipe, loaded with goodness of protein & fiber.

Ingredients

1. Whole Moong dal / Green Gram    1/4 cup
2. Bottle Gourd     1 and 1/2 cup (chopped n cubed pieces)
3. Onion     1 no. (finely chopped)
4. Tomato    1 no. (finely chopped)
5. Tamarind paste    1/2 tsp (dissolved in 1/4 cup water)
6. Ginger     1 tsp (finely chopped) & 1" piece julienned
7. Garlic    3 fat cloves (finely chopped)
8. Kuzhambu Milagai Thool       2 tsp *(refer notes)
9. Garam Masala Powder    a generous pinch
10. Turmeric powder     1/4 tsp
11. Salt    to taste
12. Cilantro      few finely chopped

To Temper

1. Oil    2-3 tsp
2. Cumin seeds    1/2 tsp
3. Hing   1/4 tsp
4. Curry leaves    few
5. Dry Red Chilli   1 no.(broken)

Method

1. Wash and take moong bean in a pressure cooker add 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
2. Once done allow the pressure to cool down, then open the lid and lightly mash it using a spatula and keep aside.
3. Wash bottle gourd thoroughly, then peel the skin cut into half and remove the center seed part discard it and chop the outer part into cubes and keep ready.
4. Heat oil in a kadai/wok, add cumin seeds allow to splutter then add hing let it sizzle then add curry leaves n dry red chilli fry well.
5. Then add finely chopped ginger and garlic and saute it and then add finely chopped onion and saute until it turns golden brown.
6. After that add chopped tomato and saute till soft n mushy.
7. And then add bottle gourd pieces, turmeric powder and stir fry for a minute.
8. Now add kuzhambu milagai thool and stir fry for few seconds, then add cooked moong bean with its water content stir well.
9. Add enough salt and bring it to boil.
10. Once it starts boiling add tamarind water and simmer for 2 minutes.
11. Lastly add garam masala powder, few finely chopped cilantro n fresh ginger julienne, stir well and switch off the stove.
12. That's it...Tangy & tasty Green Gram Bottle gourd curry ready. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Notes:
*Instead of Kuzhambu Milagai Thool You can also add 1 tsp - Chilli Powder, 1.5 tsp - Coriander Powder & 1/4 tsp- cumin powder.
Adding Tamarind Paste is optional or you can replace it with 1/4 tsp Amchur powder.
Don't omit the addition of fresh ginger julienne at the end, it give nice crunchy taste with the curry.
Do not cook moong bean to mushy & soft, it should be cooked well but not too mushy. So do not soak the moong beans before cooking, just wash and pressure cook.