MOLAGOOTAL ( BOTTLE GOURD)

Molagootal is a popular and traditional Kerala dish(similar to south indian kootu) made which is very simple and easy to make. Its made with vegetables like pumpkin, ash gourd, bottle gourd, beans, cabbage, spinach, raw banana or even mixed vegetables. It can be served with hot rice and thogayal along with the fries or papad or spicy curry. It can also be had as side dish for chapati or roti. Today i thought of sharing this molagootal recipe with bottle gourd. Lets look at the steps of making this recipe.

Preparation Time : 15 mints | Cooking Time : 30 Mints |Serves: 4

Ingredients :

Bottle Gourd – 1

Moong Dal – 1/4 cup Coconut – 1/4 cup grated Red Chilies – 2

Urad dal – 2 tbspn Whole Black Pepper – 1/4 tspn Cumin Seeds – 1/4 tspn

Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tspn Salt as per taste Oil - 1 tbspn

For Tempering:

Oil - 1 tbspn

Mustard Seeds – 1 tspn Urad Dal – 3/4 tspn Curry Leaves – few Hing – a pinch

Method :

1. Wash the moong dal and soak for 10 mints. Peel the skin, scoop out the seeds and chop the bottle gourd into pieces.

2. Pressure cook the moong dal with the chopped bottle gourd and turmeric powder for 3 whistles. Once the pressure subsides, open the cooker and mash them well.

3. Heat a tbspn of oil, saute urad dal and red chilies. When dal turns golden brown, remove from the heat. Once it cools, grind it with grated coconut , pepper and cumin seeds to a fine paste.

4. Add the cooked dal and bottle gourd, coconut paste, salt and needed water. Simmer and cook for 3 minutes. When its starts boiling turn off the flame. Heat a tspn of oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dal,hing and curry leaves. When dal turns golden brown, add the seasoning to the molagootal and mix well.

Molagootal is ready to serve with hot steamed rice and any thogayal...!