Bottlegourd Soup

Ingredients

• 2 cups bottlegourd, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 3/4 cup onion, cut into small cubes
• 3/4 cup toor dal (red gram/lentil)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2-3/4 tsp tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp jaggery
• 1 tbsp cilantro (coriander leaves), chopped roughly
• Salt to taste

For Seasoning

• 3 tsp vegetable oil
• Asafoetida powder (hing), a pinch
• 1 1/2 tsp urad dal (split & hulled black gram)
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 2 red chillies, broken into a couple pieces

Preparation

1. Cook the toor dal in the pressure cooker with 1 1/4 cups water and a little turmeric powder for 4-5 whistles.
   
   
2. In a deep saucepan, boil the bottlegourd pieces with 1/4 cup water, salt, and a little turmeric and chilli powder powder.
   
   
3. When the bottlegourd is semi-cooked, add the tamarind paste and 1/2 cup water. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
   
   
4. Remove from heat and mash and add the cooked toor dal.
   
   
5. Heat oil in a small pan for the seasoning. Add hing and urad dal and fry until the dal starts to turn golden; then, add the mustard and cumin seeds. When the seeds start to pop, add the cilantro leaves and fry for a second. Pour over the bottlegourd soup and stir.
   
   
6. Let the bottlegourd soup come to a boil and remove from heat.
   
   
7. Garnish the bottlegoud soup with a little more cilantro, and serve hot with hot rice, ghee, and pappadums.

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