Cucumber Kootu

This is a very simple recipe and if we have no other vegetable to cook other than cucumber, we can try making this kootu which can be eaten with rice and can be used as a side dish also. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Cucumber - 1 cup (chopped into big cubes)
2. Moong dhall - 1/4 cup
3. turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Pepper - 1/2 tsp

For seasoning:-

1. Oil - 1/2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Urad dhall - 1/4 tsp
4. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
5. Curry leaves - few

First, pressure cook moong dhall with a pinch of turmeric powder. Keep it aside. Take a pan, add cucumber+required amount of water + turmeric powder + salt and let it cook for 5 mts. When the cucumber is 1/2 cooked add the cooked moong dhall + pepper to it and let it boil for 7 mts. Turn off the stove when everything is nicely mixed. This is kootu. Take a small pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dhall, asafoetida powder and curry leaves and let it fry till golden brown. Pour it on top of kootu.

Ridge gourd Kootu

This is another kootu we can make. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Ridge Gourd - 1 cup
2. Peas - 1/4 cup (optional)
   
3. Baby Lima beans - 1/4 cup (optional)
   
4. Fresh coconut - 1 tbsp
5. Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
6. Channa dhall - 1/2 tsp
7. Black pepper - 1/4 tsp (acc to taste)
8. Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
9. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
10. turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Salt to taste
    

For Seasoning:-

1. Oil - 1/2 tsp
2. mustard seeds -1/4 tsp
3. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
4. asafoetida powder - a pinch
5. curry leaves - few

First take a small pan, pre heat it with a drop of oil, fry the above said ingredients from 4 to 9, to golden brown. Let it cool and grind it into a fine paste. Cook the vegetables with required amount of water, salt and a pinch of turmeric powder. When it becomes tender, add the coconut paste to it and let it cook for another 7 mts. Add some more water if necessary. Take a small pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters,add urad dhall, asafoetida powder and curry leaves and fry it to golden brown and pour it on top of kootu. Now kootu is ready to eat.

Ridge Gourd (Skin) Thogayal

Last week was a long week for me. I had to do the preparations for my girls' 4th birthday party on saturday. I had 0% strength to cook on sunday morning. Since my father-in-law is with us now, I had no choice other than to cook. I had ridge gourd in my fridge. So thought of doing ridge gourd kootu and thogayal with ridge gourd skin. So here is the recipe for thogayal.

Ingredients:-

1. Ridge Gourd skin - 1 cup (chop it)
   
2. Onion - 1/2 (chopped)
3. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
4. Channa dhall - 1 tsp
5. Coconut - 1 tbsp
6. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
7. Red chillies - 2 (acc to taste)
8. Tamarind - a small piece
   
9. Salt to taste
10. Oil - a drop
    

Take a small pan, pre heat a drop of oil, add mustard seeds when it splutters add channa dhall , asafoetida, coconut and red chillies and fry it till golden brown. Keep it aside. Now in the same pan, put the chopped onion, ridge gourd and saute for 5 mts. Let it become tender. Now put it on top of the fried lentils. Let everything cool. when it is ready for grinding, add required amount of salt and the tamarind piece and grind it into a fine paste or grind it coarsely (depending upon your taste). Now ridge gourd thogayal is ready to eat. Mix one tbsp of thogayal with rice add 1 tbsp sesame oil and mix with well and enjoy. Ridge gourd kootu can be a wonderful side dish for this thogayal rice.