Last week, while leafing through a handwritten recipe file, I unearthed a notable recipe that involves Sorakaya aka bottle gourd. Time had come to re-create it and savor the forgotten taste. Channa dal and cubed bottle gourd are slowly simmered in a tamarind based masala gravy until soft on bite. Deliciously tangy with a faint whisper of sweetness, the curry made for a hearty meal with rotis.
Anapakaya Senaga Pappu Kura Recipe
Prep & Cooking: 35-40 mts
Serves 4-5 persons
Andhra
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2 cups peeled and cubed tender bottle gourd
1/2 cup chana dal/senaga pappu, wash and soak in water for 30 mts
1 onion, finely chopped
few curry leaves
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
2 green chillis
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp coriander pwd
1 tsp red chilli pwd
small lemon sized tamarind (soak in a cup of warm water and extract)
garam masala pwd (2 cloves, 1 cardamom, 1″ cinnamon stick)
coriander leaves for garnish
1/2 tbsp oil
1 Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the green chillis, curry leaves and chopped onions and saute till the onions turn transparent.
2 Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 4 mts. Add salt, chilli pwd and coriander pwd. Combine. Add the cubed bottle gourd, combine and place lid. Cook on medium flame for 7-8 mts, stirring in between.
3 Add the soaked channa dal along with 2 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. At this stage add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 12-15 mts with lid. Add the tamarind extract and cook without lid till the dal turns soft but holds shape. Add garam masala and combine.
4 Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with rice or rotis.
