Sorekayi/Bottle gourd/Lauki_Channa Curry

According to my mom, Sorekayi/Lauki/Bottle gourd is some wonder vegetable. She says, and she heard somewhere(Baba Ramdev, I think), that no part of this vegetable should be thrown out. So I use it often... though only in south Indian curries and sambars, which only goes well with rice and not necessarily chapathis. 

This recipe is more North Indian(like a sabzi) and could be eaten with Chapathis as well. It is very simple tasting, as well as easy to cook. Requires less oil, and tastes great.

Enjoy this healthy sabzi with chapathi/rice. 

Ingredients

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Peppercorns 3-4 (original recipe asks for 8-10)

Bay leaf 1

Onion - 1 small

Tomatoes - 2

Garlic 3-4 cloves

Ginger a small piece

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp 

Turmeric

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Channa - soaked overnight

Bottle gourd - 1 medium 

salt

oil 

water

coriander leaves

Green chillies - 2(optional for garnishing)

Lemon juice

Method

Chop bottle gourd into big chunks.

In a pressure cooker/pan add oil. Add peppercorns, cumin, bay leaf. Add ginger, garlic, onion. Once they become translucent, add tomatoes and saute them till they become soft. Add the cumin-coriander powder, red chili powder and turmeric. Add soaked and drained channa. Add water(as little and only as much as necessary). Cook 2 -3 whistles. Let it cool. Open the lid and add bottle gourd. Close the lid and cook for one more whistle. After the cooker is cooled, open the lid and boil for few minutes. Add lemon juice and garnish it with coriander leaves and green chillies.

Enjoy with some hot rice and chapathis.

Notes - 

• I was not too fond of peppercorn-bay leaf taste in the curry. I would add green chilli instead and skip these.

• Supposedly bottle gourd should not be consumed if bitter... I am not so sure of this. 

Recipe Source - http://foodsandflavorsbyshilpi.com/lauki-chana-curry-recipe/