How to clean & cut Bottle gourd | Sorekkai

Bottle Gourd is a vegetable with high water content and also has good source of vitamin c & k. It's good to include this veggie during summer.You may think why there is a post about how to clean & cut bottle gourd, is this such a complicate task?No, not at all. But to be honest, i never once had any dish made from bottle gourd until i got married and started to cook on my own.
Later when i asked Amma that why she didn't make anything with Bottle gourd,she told me a interesting story.In my grandma's(maternal) childhood days,they used to visit near by Ayyanar temple.Whoever worshipped Ayyanar diety in her town, try to exclude bottle gourd from their diet and also it's to be believed that if any of these people would go nearby bottle gourd plant,then the plant would  die 😇.Interesting belief, right?

With that strong belief, aachi(grandma) neither prepared nor tasted bottle gourd in her life. As Amma never grew up eating bottle gourd, she doesn't like it much and she never prepared anything with bottle gourd in our home.So when i started to use bottle gourd, i don't know how to use it.And ask my friends about how to clean & cut bottle gourd.So this post may be helpful to beginners or any one like me 😜 .

How to clean & Cut Sorekkai

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 0 mins | Makes : 2 cups 
Recipe Category: Basics | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
Bottle gourd - 1

Procedure

Take the bottle gourd and cut off the edges, then peel the skin of bottle gourd with peeler.Cut the bottle gourd into two horizontally, then again cut the one half into vertically and remove the sponge texture inside.Cut them into strips and then chop into squares or as per your recipe demands.

Chopped Bottle gourd is ready to use.

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Bottle gourd Kootu | Sorekkai Kootu | Kootu recipe

Bottle gourd/ Sorekkai kootu is an easy accompaniment for rice made from bottle gourd and moong dal. As bottle gourd has lot of water content in it, it's good to have them during summer time.
There are few veggies (Ridge Gourd,Bottle gourd etc) that i started to cook after my marriage only. Amma never used those veggies in her kitchen.First time, i bought the bottle gourd to try the famous Lauki halwa and it turned out super delicious. After making that halwa, i left out with small piece of bottle gourd, so i tried this kootu followed the same method of making  Chow Chow Kootu. To my surprise, it tasted really good and it became the part of my daily cooking.It paired well with any spicy kuzhambu and we had it with rice and manathakkali vathal kuzhambu

If you're quite fond of kootu more than poriyal or stir fry, then you can check out my other kootu recipes
Chow Chow Kootu
Keerai Kootu
Vella Poosanikai Kootu
Yellow Pumpkin Kootu
Pudalangai Kootu
Peerkangai Kootu

Sorekkai Kootu

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Accompaniment | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
Bottle Gourd - 1 
Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Red chili powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - few
To Temper
Coconut Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard & urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Pearl onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Curry leaves - few 

Procedure

In a pressure add moong dal along with asafoetida powder and 3/4 cup water.Bring into boil and let it be in medium flame for 10 mins.In the mean time, chop the bottle gourd into small cubes.Check here on how to cut bottle gourdAdd the sorekkai into dal and cover the cooker with lid and cook it for 2 whistle.Open the lid and place it on heat again and add spices(turmeric,red chili powder) & salt. Bring to boil until the raw smell leaves. Finally add the coriander leaves & switch off the flame.Now temper the ingredients listed under "To Temper" and add into the kootu.That's it, Quick & Yummy Sorekkai Kootu is ready.

Notes:

• Using coconut oil enhance the taste of the kootu.
• Adjust the red chili powder as per your taste.
• Adding sorekkai after 10 mins of boiling dal gives well cooked dal and not mushy sorekkai
  

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Lauki Halwa | Dudhi Halwa | Bottle gourd Halwa | Sorekai Halwa

Lauki Halwa is the classic dessert recipe made with bottle gourd and it's also known by the name as "Dudhi/doodhi/sorekai Halwa" in various parts of India. When i searched for holi sweets, i came to know that Bottle Hourd halwa is one of the sweet prepared during this festival and the preparation of this halwa is almost similar like Carrot halwa.I had prepared carrot halwa many times before, so i was confident in making this halwa. 

In traditional method of making this halwa requires lot of time to reduce the milk.But usually when i prepare carrot halwa, i use pressure cooker to cook the veggies & instead of khoya i use milk powder to make the process easy & quick.I followed the same method here and the halwa turned out heavenly delicious and seriously i couldn't stop eating it.

While eating this halwa,my mind voice was like "even with milk powder, it tastes this much good,how would it taste if prepared in traditional way😀" I think soon i will make this again in traditional way.

Lauki/Dudhi Halwa

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 35 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Sweets/Dessert | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
Bottle gourd(small) - 1(yields 1.5 cups of grated bottle gourd)
Sugar - 1/4 cup(heaped)
Milk Powder - 1/4 cup
Milk - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp
Cashews(broken) - 1 tsp
Cardamom(crushed) - 3
Green food color - a pinch(optional)

Procedure

First peel the bottle gourd, cut into half and remove the seeds in the center,then grate the bottle gourd, squeeze the water and keep it aside. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in the pressure cooker.

Add the grated bottle gourd and saute in ghee for 1 mins, then add the milk and bring to boil.

Cover the cooker with lid,put on weight and cook it for 2 whistle.Once the pressure released automatically from the cooker, open the lid, now all the moisture from the milk evaporates and the bottle gourd is well cooked.

Place it on heat agin and add the sugar & mix it well.

Then add the milk powder and mix it well. Keep the flame in medium and stir occasionally to avoid sticking at the bottom.

Add the food color  at this stage and cook till all the moisture evaporates.In the mean time, fry the cashews in the remaining ghee and add it to the halwa.

Finally add cardamom, mix it well & Switch off the flame.

That's Tasty Lauki/Dudhi/Bottle Gourd/Sorekai Halwa is ready.

Related:How to make Carrot halwa

Notes:

• Make sure that the bottle gourd is well cooked before adding sugar.
• Here i'm using non-fat milk powder, but you can use any type of milk powder or even you can use the store brought khoya.
• I have the stock of home made food color made from spinach,so i used that here.
• Add any types of nuts like pistachio,badam etc.
• Squeeze the bottle gourd well,before add it in ghee.
• If you feel that the moisture content in bottle gourd is less, then add extra 2 tbsp of milk while cooking bottle gourd, otherwise it will burnt at the bottom.
  

Time to dig in

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