Recipe: DOODHI BHAJI

Doodhi Bhaji

I have had some cook or another in my kitchen on and off. Since I love cooking myself, I find it difficult to accept shoddily cooked food. Well, this recipe is one of the good things that happened when Kandu cooked in our kitchen for a period of four months, I think. Being from a village, he was not used to a mixer and used the small pounding stone that I keep in my kitchen. I feel that adds a lot to the flavour.

I find Doodhi quite bland and needs a lot of enhancement before I am ready to eat it. But again, it’s a very healthy vegetable and is a natural coolant. That’s why I grabbed this recipe when Kandu made it. It’s delicious and my kids just love it.

INGREDIENTS

Doodhi (Bottle Gourd) - 1 (500-700 gm; peeled and cut into cubes)
Channa dal - 3 tbsp
Tomatoes - 3 (medium; chopped)
Curry Leaves - 8-10
Oil - 2 tsp
Rai (mustard seeds) - ½ tsp
Jeera (cumin seeds) - ½ tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 large pinch
Chilli Powder - 1 small pinch
Jaggery - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Kotmir (coriander leaves) - 2 tsp (chopped)
Water - 1 cup

Masala

Garlic - 4-6 cloves
Ginger - ½ inch piece
Green Chillies - 2
Dhaniya (coriander seeds) - 1 tsp
Jeera (cumin seeds) - ¾ tsp

METHOD

1. Add the masala ingredients to the mixer and grind them dry.
2. Take a pressure pan and heat the oil in it.
3. Add the Rai to it and then the Jeera as the former crackles.
4. Then add the curry leaves and the ground masala.
5. Turn the masala around a couple of times before adding the cut tomatoes.
6. Add turmeric and chilli powders along with salt and jaggery.
7. Add the channa dal and water to the mixture.
8. Finally, add the cubed doodhi and pressure cook for three whistles.
9. Open the cooker and pour the doodhi bhaji into a serving bowl.
10. Garnish with kotmir before serving hot with rotis or pooris.

The sabzi is simply yummy, I promise!