Bottle gourd with bean sprouts

This is one of the accidentally innovated recipe in my kitchen. One lazy day I found few mix sprouts and a quarter of bottle gourd resting in a corner of my fridge. And thinking to make a quick curry. I tried cooking them together as bottle gourd alone was not enough to serve us. Let me first share the recipe before I get on to other topics to bore you with :D . People say I am a chatterbox. (Believe me I am like that only with the people I like ). Fortunately blogger has introduced to many loving people, whom I feel exactly like me , and which really makes me feel better to share everything with them . Now a days blogging is not just a hobby , but a place where I can share many thing and feel relaxed by doing so : ) . Thank you all of you around here who really makes my day in many ways. Now back to recipe first.... I call it "bottlegourd with Beans " . Couldn't find any good name , if you have any nice name in mind for this dish , share it here and reserve this dish by your name :) .

Ingredients:

2 cups Bottle gourd
½ cup Mix beans ( soaked over night and if possible sprouted ) .
1 tsp garam masala( use less if powder is too strong )
½ tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp mustard seeds,
1 tsp cumin seeds,
A pinch of asafoetida
Few curry leaves washed and then dried.
Salt to taste
1-2 tsp oil .
Coriander leaves to garnish.

Recipe :

Peel and wash bottle gourd, cut in to small ½ inch cubes and keep it aside. Keep the sprouts/ soaked mix beans on hand.

In a pan heat the oil, when oil is hot add first mustard seeds ,when they start spluttering add cumin seeds and asafoetida along with curry leaves to it.

Then add beans to it , add turmeric powder , and chopped bottle gourd to ti. Mix all well and cook it on medium heat .

If it looks too dry, sprinkle 1-2 tsp water over it to avoid sticking it at bottom .

Normally almost when half cooked bottle gourd juices is enough to cook the curry thoroughly . If needed add ¼ cup of water when it is half cooked and cover it with lid. Stirring occasionally , let all cook together till all the extra water burns.

When almost cooked add garam masala and then salt to it. Mix well.

Check with beans if it is cooked well by its softness. Bottle gourd cooks faster than beans . When cooked. Remove from heat, Garnish with coriander leaves & serve hot with paratha or roti . Makes a wonderful nutritious meal any day.

Due to its bland taste many people don’t like bottle gourd much and D is one of them . If you are also one of such people who knows the benefits of eating bottle gourd but still don’t like to eat due to its bland taste try this recipe . You might like it. Or with any recipe of bottle gourd , make it with the flavor you like . i.e. I know D loves home made garam masala in any curry , I tried making bottle gourd with that and he eat it with satisfaction, without uttering a word about the bland taste of it :D . Garam masala, curry leaves and then finally fresh coriander leaves are all enough to make this curry very aromatic and appetizing. Also beans cook better with bottle gourd juice while cooking, rather than with plain water.

Once liked by both of us, this ready in a jiffy curry is now a regular dish in our kitchen :) .

Note: The deadline for VoW-bottle gourd is extended by 2 more days. i.e. the last day to send entries is now 17th July. If you have anything in already your blog with bottle gourd , or planning to send it then do it soon . No entries late than 17th midnight will be considered as a part of this event. I normally try to include all the entries I can, and the reason to extend the deadline is one of that. So hopefully now there will be no one left with missed deadline feeling for VoW-BottleGourd .

Take care buddies and stay tuned ... Have few more dishes to post with BG tomorrow :) .