Bottle gourd ( surraikai ) sambar

   Sambar was the favorite southindian accompainment with rice , idli or dosa. There are many varities of sambar and almost all the vegetables are used to make sambar. In this i had used bottlegourd / suraikkai as we call in tamil is used. It was so delicious.

Ingredients:

Red gram dhal (tuvaram paruppu)-100gm

Bottle gourd-50gm

Green chilly -4 nos

Small onion -10 nos

Sambar powder- 1 ½ tsp

Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp

Fenugreek seeds- ¼ tsp

Cumin seeds - ¼ tsp

Asafoetida powder – ¼ tsp

Grated coconut-1tsp

Tamarind –an arecanut size

Oil- 3 tsp

Salt – to taste

Fresh coriander leaves- ¼ bunch

Castor oil -1tsp

For seasoning:

Mustard seeds-1tsp

Fenugreek seeds-1tsp

Cumin seeds-1tsp

Curry leaves-3 sprig

Method:

Soak an arecanut size tamarind for ½ hour and then extract the juice out of it.

Boil the red gram dhal with turmeric powder, castor oil, cumin seeds, asafoetida, and fenugreek seeds. (Castor oil helps to cook the dhal evenly and reduce the gas trouble in our body)

Heat the oil in a pan and put the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves into it .fry until they crackle

Add small onion, green chilly, and bottle gourd pieces.mix well and cook covered on a low flame till half done

After the vegetables cooked, add the tamarind juice, boiled red gram dhal, sambar powder, and salt.

Let the sambar simmer for a few minutes.

Serve garnished with coriander leaves and grated coconut.