Bottle Guard Kootu

Ingredients :

Bottle guard 1 big one

Toor dal /split yellow moong dal 1/4 cup

Chana dal  ¼ cup 

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Sambar Powder 1/4 tsp

Oil -2 tsp

For the grinding

Urad dal 1 tsp

Coriander seeds  1 1/2 tsp

Red chillies  2

Whole black pepper  5 to 6 pieces

Grated Coconut 1/4 cup

Heat a tsp of oil and fry the above ingredients, adding coconut at the end. Grind it to a smooth paste adding very little water.

For the seasoning 

Mustard 1 tsp

Urad dal 1/2 tsp

Hing/asafoetida   a pinch

1/4 cup chopped onions

Curry leaves few leaves

Step 1: 

First cut bottle gourd vertically and scoop out the seeds. Then

cut them into small square pieces. Do not cut it finely. Cook bottle gourd in water with some turmeric powder till soft. Do not overcook.

Cook the toor dal, moong dal till soft in a pressure cooker and mash it well. Keep it aside. Pressure cook the chanadal separately till they are soft but don’t mash them. 

Step 2:

Now add the cooked dals and the grounded paste and bring it to boil.

Season the kootu with the ingredients for seasoning. (ie heat oil, add mustard seeds ,when it splutters, add urad dal, hing, curry leaves and fry the onions  and add it to the kootu.)