Sunday, July 20, 2008

Another Gourd and Curd, and Tag 1

Hmm, I can't seem to be getting enough of gourds, and they seem to be perennial vegetables here. This time, it is bitter gourd that gets the honor, although I have mentioned before that I am not very fond of the vegetable. However, R loves bitter gourd, or Karela (Hindi), and prefers to have it every Sunday at lunch.

I will slightly digress here, to address the tag, else I will forget! A_and_N has tagged me, and I would like to pass this tag to Priti and Swati. Responses at the end of this post.

Getting back to the bitter gourd, I guess we all know that it is a healthy vegetable, and recommended for diabetics. To prepare Bitter Gourd with Curd, you will need:

Bitter Gourd - cut round as below - 3-4 cups


For marination, grind the following into a paste:

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Green Chilly - 1
Ginger - peeled and chopped - 2 tbsp
Garlic - peeled - 4-5 medium sized cloves

Also, salt - to taste


For seasoning -

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 strands
Hing/ Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil - 3-4 tbsp

Final step - 3 tbsp of fresh curd

Method:

  • Mix the bitter gourd pieces with the paste and salt and leave aside for 15-20 minutes
  • Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan and temper the mustard seeds and curry leaves along with asafeotida
  • Lay the bittergourd pieces slowly in the pan and cover the pan
  • Let this cook for 10 minutes on low flame
  • Take a flat ladle and turn over the pieces, and leave to cook for another 10 minutes, covered
  • Turn off the flame, add the 3 tbsp of curd evenly on top of the cooked vegetable and spread with flat ladle on top
  • Leave the vessel on the hot stove, until time to serve
Serve with rice

Tag Time

1) LAST MOVIE U SAW IN A THEATRE?

Sarkar Raj (We are AB fans! Before this, Bhoothnath)

2) WHAT BOOK ARE U READING?

Selected Fiction - Manoj Das

3) FAVOURITE BOARD GAME?

Monopoly

4) FAVOURITE MAGAZINE

Outlook, The Week, Outlook Traveller, Vanitha and Arogya Masika (Malayalam)

5) FAVOURITE SMELLS?

Smell of earth after fresh rain, Amma's food-Sambhar, Neyyappam (Vishu), Aviyal (for Sadya), Vegetable Biriyani, Sardine fish curry, etc...

6) FAVOURITE SOUNDS?

My daughter singing 'Are You Sleeping' in the bath tub, her payal which lets me know what she's up to and where she is in the house!

7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?

When you know someone's lied/lying to you deliberately!

8) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN U WAKE?

What to make for breakfast and tiffin for my daughter!

9) FAVOURITE FAST FOOD PLACE?

Chat bandi/restaurant, and McDonald's at times

10) FUTURE CHILD'S NAME? Ans. Not sure...

11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—’IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY

Travel the world, buy more books and read, and put the rest in a bank

12) DO U DRIVE FAST? Ans. No, I am scared to drive!

13) DO U SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL? Ans. No

14) STORMS–COOL OR SCARY? Ans. Scary

15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR? Ans. None of my own!

16) FAVOURITE DRINK? Ans. Mango/ Orange juice

17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD

Read all the books I have bought and learn painting

18) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI? Ans. No (I don't eat broccoli)

19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOUR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE? Ans. Brown (Brunette!)

20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN?

Kannur, Muscat, Trivandrum (if stay in hostel for 3 months is living!), Hyderabad, Mumbai

21) FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Ans. Tennis

22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?

A_and_N: The most delightful cooking-inclined newly wed couple I have come across:-)

23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED?

Currently, 8 cartons of books lying unpacked, because of lack of space in Mumbai apartment

24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN?? Ans. Yes, taller
25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL? Ans. Morning Person

26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP? Ans. Neither!

27) FAVOURITE PLACE TO RELAX? Ans. At Home...

28) FAVOURITE PIE? Ans. Apple Pie

29) FAVOURITE ICECREAM FLAVOUR? Ans. Chocolate

30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE U HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?

Priti

23 comments:

Indian Khana said...

wow man we have a telepathy it seems...Today only I was thinking of moor kolamb with bitter gourd and pheww we made it !( ok something similar to that if not exactly ) and tag..I have done the same thing before..but acknowledge urs.

Christo Gonzales said...

THIS is the gourd I had before...i remember its texture with the ripples...I wish I could taste how you make it compared to the little joint I had it in NYC...

ST said...

curry looks delicious ..Love to read ur meme....

Swati said...

Nice variation of the bitter gourd..I have some lying in my house..will try this..
Meme was interesting too...

Anonymous said...

I've seen this gourd before but i admit i didn't know what to do with it. Looks like you're an expert at the use of spices, your recipe sounds great. Maybe it will give me enough confidence to cook outside my 'comfort zone'.

I LOVE Indian food by the way. I'll be back. :-)

Lore said...

Looks delish! Love your take on it.

giz said...

I've never made or eaten gourds in my life. Something to try.

Thanks for dropping by our blog. Nice to meet you.

Dee said...

My sons loves it fried like chips! He hoovers the stuff down, and while I don't like him eating fried foods this is a lot healthier than McDs :) It's a blood cleanser isn't it?

amna said...

good work on ur first tag! no comments on the recipe though cuz i hate pavakka :D

Anonymous said...

The only way I've eaten bittergourd is when it's fried crisp....this I got to try...

nice read of ur tag...and I love your header!!!

sra said...

Shreya, this is the first time I've read of a curd-based dish with bittergourd. I can eat it with jaggery, not otherwise. :)

Indranee Batabyal said...

Shreya, this recipe will be a good appetizer. Loved reading your tags:)

Deepthi Shankar said...

that looks nice .. have naver made it with bitter gourd though .. nice getting to know more of you

Cooking Station said...

You have a good luck genie on cooking station! and BG in yoghurt looks yumm..

Purva Desai said...

Shreya, your blog is a collection of really different and delicious recepies. It is amazing to read thru unique recepies of vegetables like bitter gourd among others.

notyet100 said...

bitter gourd with curd sounds interestin..thnks for sharin..

Jeff said...

I have never seen bitter gourd before but I don't think I was ever looking for it. Now I am going to have to look for it.

Vaishali said...

I love bitter gourd, Shreya. This recipe sounds simple but delicious.

Shreya said...

Priti - Looking forward to your recipe of moru kozhambu with bitter gourd:-) My mother makes it with coconut ground into a paste, and adding butter milk later. I have never made it myself yet. Waiting to read your MeMe also!

DoggyBloggy - Please try the recipe, and let me know if you liked it! Bitter gourd is bitter, and Teasle Gourd isn't:-)

Sireesha, Swati, Lore, Nags, Indranee, Vegetable Platter, Purva, NotYet100, Vaishali - thank you so much!:-)

Zen Chef - Thanks! Please do try the recipe, and let me know if you like it. Btw, I can hardly be called an expert at the use of spices, and this recipe does not have much spices in it:-)

Giz - Pleasure to meet you too. Your blog is amazing:-)

Dee - I should try the fried chips version for my daughter. Infact, my twin brother loves this vegetable in that form! I know it is good for digestion and is recommended for diabetics, so I guess it purifies blood:-)

Rachel - Thanks, and please do try and post:-) The header is a snapshot of one of the traditional sadya (feast) served in a plantain leaf during Onam festival at home, prepared by my mother.

sra - My mother also makes bitter gourd with melted jaggery and tamarind paste, it is yum, and does not have any bitter taste at all:-) This recipe (the curd) too helps reduce the bitterness, though I won't guarantee that it won't be bitter!

Cooking Station - Thanks so much, I need all the good luck I can get. Hope that does not sound greedy and selfish!:-) :P

Jeff - I hope bitter gourd (bitter melon) is available in Indiana.

Rina said...

Shreya !!!! bitter gourd is on the top of my fav list...any time...love this...thanks for visiting mine.

Madhavi said...

I am not fan of bitter gourd but looks good!!! Nice to read ut meme!!

Clumbsy Cookie said...

Nice to know a bit more about you!

Jaya M said...

Bitter gourd preparation looks so good shreya..Something new to me ...
Hugs and smiles
jaya