Anapakaya Perugu Kura --Bottle Gourd in Yogurt Sauce

I have always been fascinated by yogurt based curries. The rich creamy texture of yogurt with a chili and coconut flavor is an absolute delight. Bottle gourd with its mild taste and high water content, though thought as a bland veggie by many has a great ability to absorb the flavors of spices and other ingredients it is cooked with.

When I came across bottle gourd cooked in yogurt sauce http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/archives/2006/07/19/bottle-gourd-in-yogurt-kaalan/ on Indira’s blog I had to try it right away. This turned out to be a perfectly delicious dish with very few ingredients.

Thank You Indira for a wonderful recipe.


Ingredients:
1 small bottle gourd cut into ½ inch cubes or about 2 - 3 cups
1 to 1 ½ cups of yogurt
3 green chilies
2 tbsp of grated coconut
½ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
2 tsp oil

For Seasoning
½ tsp mustard
½ tsp cumin
1 red chili
Curry leaves

Grind coconut and green chilies into a fine paste.

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add mustard followed by cumin red chilies and curry leaves.

When mustard starts to pop add bottle gourd pieces, sauté for 2 minutes, add turmeric salt and coconut green chili paste.

Sauté for couple more minutes, then add ¼ to ½ cup water and cook covered on medium to low heat.

When the bottle gourd pieces are tender remove from heat and stir in the yogurt.

Let it sit covered for few minutes before serving.

Serve it with hot rice and you are sure to polish your plates.

Tips: I made few adjustments to the quantities of ingredients to suit my taste. I recommend all of you the same, especially with green chilies.