Sorakaya Pakodi Curry | Lauki Pakore ki Sabzi | Side Dish for Pulao

When we had made the Soya Chunks Vegetable Pulao, the side dish was Sorakaya Pakodi Curry. Whenever we make a pulao at home, there comes the question of what to make for the side dish. Most times we think we can make do with a raitha, but when the pulao is not spicy as in biryani, we then have to think for some side dish to be made. 

That's when this Sorakaya Pakodi curry came handy. The first time when Amma made this, the curry turned out to be very spicy for me, though hubby dear liked it. So when I was going to make it for myself I will have to reduce the spice level. However if you prefer a spicy side dish for Pulao, then you can just go ahead with the spice levels mentioned in the recipe.

Other Sorakaya Recipes

Bottle Gourd Dal (Sorakaya Pappu)
Sorakaya Vepudu ~ Bottle Gourd Stir Fry
Chettinadu Sorakkai Kurma ~ Bottle Gourd Curry Chettinad Style
Bottle Gourd Curry ~ Sorakaya Kura!
Sorakaya Snack ~ Bottle Gourd Fries!
Sorakkai Sambar ~ Bottle Gourd Sambar

Bottle Gourd Tikkis
Sorakaya Masala Kura
Bottle Gourd Dosa
Dalcha
Pindi Miriyam

Sorakaya Pakodi Curry

For the Pakodi

Sorakaya/ Bottle Gourd, grated - 1 cup
Gram Flour / Besan - 1/2 cup
Rice flour - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Cumin Seeds / Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Ginger, finely chopped - 1"
Green chilli, chopped  - 1
onion - 1 medium
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
oil for deep frying

For the Gravy

Onions - 1 medium
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Tomato Puree - 1cup
Coconut paste - 2 tsbp
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tsp

How to prepare Sorakaya Pakodi Curry

How to prepare the Pakodi

Grate the bottle gourd and squeeze with little salt. Use the water for the gravy.

Then mix in all the ingredients, make a rough shapes with hands and keep it aside.

Heat a kadai with oil, deep fry the balls and drain on a kitchen towel.

How to prepare the Curry

Heat a non stick pan with oil, saute the onions till they turn golden, add ginger garlic paste and continue cooking till the raw smell leaves.

Then add tomato puree, saute, finally add the coconut paste and salt. Add a cup of water, bring to boil. When it cooks for 5 - 7 mins, switch off.

Add the pakodis when you are ready to serve, else it will absorb all the curry and becomes soft.

Serve with Soya Chunks Vegetable Pulao

Enjoy your weekend!

Bottle Gourd Dal (Sorakaya Pappu)

I know I may not find much time to cook lot of new dishes. But knowing that I am finally posting this Sorakaya Pappu / Bottle Gourd Dal after so many months later, it surely makes me realize how hectic things can be!

Just when I thought I was going to have a relaxing mornings, now that Konda's vacation started, boys started their school. Which means I was to bind, cover two sets of books. Imagine doing it for 15 each, which really isn't that much. Only I end up doing it in the last minute. It was no different this time too. I was hopeful that I could get it done by the night. But I couldn't find the labels. The woes are never ending. I completely forgot about these during the weekend as I was busy cooking for the book.

We decided to re shoot all the pictures again and I realized what a hectic task it is. Hubby dear got new bags for the boys. The entire Sunday was spent walking around with the bag on their back. With my brother and his family relocating, we were busy helping with their packing. The boys had a free reign and played to their heart content. Result was Peddu couldn't get up early for school. We literally had to force him. As I still had to give their books I went with them to the school.

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 15 mins
Cuisine : Andhra Cuisine

Ingredients Needed

Tur Dal - 1 cup
Sorakaya / Bottle gourd - 1 cup cubes
Dried Red chillies - 5-6
Onion - 1 small
Tomato - 2 medium
Garlic - 4 cloves
Tamarind - small marble sized
Turmeric a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard, urud dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves few
Water for cooking

Method to prepare:

Clean the dal and keep aside. Chop onions and tomatoes. Crush the garlic cloves along with the skin.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add mustard and urad dal. then curry leaves. Once it splutters, sauté onions, red chillies and garlic. Once onion is brown, add dal and fry for few mins.

Then add tomatoes, sorakaya pieces, tamarind, turmeric, and water for cooking. Cover it with lid and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles till the dal is cooked well.

When the pressure is off, take the dal masher or pappu guthi, mash the dal well with the red chillies. Add salt. and cook on high flame for 2 mins.

Serve with steamed Rice.

Normally sorakaya is mashed well and blended with the dal. But if you prefer to have bigger chunks don't overcook it.

Interested to find other ways to cook Bottle gourd?

Sorakaya Snack ~ Bottle Gourd Fries

Sorakkai Sambar ~ Bottle Gourd Sambar

Chettinadu Sorakkai Kurma ~ Bottle Gourd curry in Chettinad Style

Bottle Gourd Curry ~ Sorakaya Kura

How else do you cook Bottle gourd? Do share!

Sorakaya Vepudu ~ Bottle Gourd Stir Fry

Life seem to be running fast! Heard it already, well you get to hear it again. I don't know about you, but for us, each day runs as fast as it can. There was a time, when Hubby dear used to say just breeze through the 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening, your day is done. But how can one manage the entire day?

We also used to think that God gave lots of energy to 2 year olds, nay he has given even more to 3 year olds. The way my boys plan the day, makes us wonder why we can't think like them. The moment they fight we take sides to console them, the very next moment they are for each other against us. They fight, play, cajole, cuddle and again fight. And in between they eat, drink, potty and also make us sweat a lot!

We were prepared, that is how well one can get prepared. But they beat you to your own game. They devise new games. We actually plan how to get the Sunday going. After the traditional Poori Channa for breakfast, things seem to get settle down, when it again started to get out of control. Finally hubby dear decided a round around the city was in store. He left me happily cooking, as I planned on experimenting on a Muslim mutton biryani for the book.

Back from their trip, hubby dear decided he wanted to experiment with the camera. Result was I was the new found subject and I had to smile through the sweat and brow! Anyway the biryani was a hit, I will have to make it again for the shoot. How exciting, me thinks. Finally I was dreading the Kachori plan that was planned for the afternoon.

But be as it was, the boys refused to take their nap. I was thinking it was now or never. For a moment, I even contemplated sending a mail out saying I am not going to make it. But imagine a life without having tasted one owns hard labour of love. It was that yum! Everybody at home simply loved it. You can read more about how to make a memorable impact, check out Moong Dal Kachori, yes I strongly recommend.

Coming to the recipe for today, this is something that I made last week, and it went well with the rice.

Sorakaya Vepudu ~ Bottle Gourd Stir Fry

Sorakaya / Bottle Gourd - 1 cup

Onions - 1 medium

Curry leaves - 4 -5 

Green chilies - 2 -3 nos

Red Chili powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder

Ground nut powder - 1 -2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tsp

Method to prepare:

Peel the outer skin of the bottle gourd and cut into 2 inch pieces. 

Heat a pan with oil and add mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves. Then add the bottle gourd pieces along with salt. Simmer with a lid and cook for 10 mins.

Check to see if the vegetable has turned soft. Add the chili powder, coriander powder. Stir well. Cook again for 5 - 7 mins. 

When the bottle gourd is cooked well, finally add the ground nut. combine everything and remove.

Bottle Gourd Curry ~ Sorakaya Kura!

It feels good to be back to regular blogging! My PC got bonkers and I had all my pictures stored in there. Well that left me without any picture to talk about. And last one week was really hectic with both Mithai Mela and the Indian Cooking Challenge. The polling just got over! On top with work becoming even difficult I was wondering how I am still sane! One thing I miss most is not recording what my kids are up. The boys have started speaking a language of their own, its really so sweet to hear it. Chinnu speaks like a foreigner would speak telugu and Peddu speaks a typical marwari way! Both so sweet to hear, I have even recorded their conversations during their bed time. They both say "nanni" for "me or I". Daddy has given up trying to correct them. But we have started speaking their language.

Every other time, Peddu would come and tell me, "Deppu ooruki podam (We will go for trip tomorrow)" so last night while I was trying to make them sleep, he suddenly started telling me this line, I readily agreed that we shall. Then he said we all will go to his aunts place. "Oruu bavyuntundi," I asked how we will go, he replied "Naadichi Podam" (by walking), I again asked how?.he immediately stood up and showed walking. And said that by walking it will be best! Gosh imagine walking all the way across the border to Andhra! I guess in a child's mind, everything is so simple.

Anyway I am happy to share this simple recipe with Sorakaya / Bottle gourd, that was so common at my parents place. Dad likes this a lot and it used to frequent the table quite often. Hubby dear doesn't like it much, so you can imagine how rarely this figured on our table. But this time, he had no option out!

Soraya Kaya Kura

Ingredients Needed:

Soraya Kaya - 250 gms
Mustard seeds+ Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves few
Onion - 1 medium
Garlic - 2 - 3 flakes
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 - 2 tsp
Groundnut powder - 1 -2 tsp




Method to Prepare:

Wash and peel bottle gourd. Cut into 2" size pieces.

Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds along with curry leaves. Then saute onions till light brown.

Then add sorakaya pieces along salt and turmeric. Simmer with lid for 5 mins.

Once the veggie gets little soft, add chili powder, coriander powder. Simmer again with lid covered for 5 mins. Fry well.

Then add 1 cup of water and allow it to get cooked slowly. Simmer again for 10 mins. Finally add groundnut powder and can be removed immediately.

Serve with chapati or rice.