Bottle gourd with Green gram dal

Ingredients:

Bottle gourd          -  500 gms
Green gram dal      -  2 table spoons
Grated coconut     -  2 table spoons
Black gram dal      -  1 table spoon
Black Pepper        -  1 tea spoon
Jeera                     -  1 tea spoon
Red chillies            -  1 no
Asafoitida              -  1 pinch
Cooking oil            -  1 1/2 tea spoons
Mustard seeds       -  1 tea spoon
Curry leaves          -  a few leaves
Salt to taste


1.  Heat 1/2 tea spoon oil in a kadai and add 1 tea spoon of black gram dal, pepper and red chili and fry till the dal turns brown and keep it aside.
2.  In a thick bottomed add water and green gram dal.
3.  Once its half cooked and add the bottle gourd, turmeric powder, asafoitida and salt and cook till the vegetable is done.
4.  Add the grated coconut, jeera to the fried dal mixture and grind it into a paste.
5.  Add the ground paste to the dal veg. mixture and bring to boil and remove from stove.
6.  Heat the 1 tea spoon oil in a kadai and add the mustard seeds, and 1/2 tea spoon black gram dal and once the dal turns golden brown and mustard crackles add the curry leaves and add it to the kootu mixture.

7.  Bottle gourd with green gram dal ready.  Serve it with rice or roti.