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Sorakaya pulusu
సొరకాయ పులుసు (sorakaya pulusu): Andhra bottle gourd in a tangy tamarind and jaggery broth
Sorakaya pulusu is everyday Telugu home cooking from Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam, made on weekdays when there's a bottle gourd in the basket and the family wants something light and sour with rice. Soft pieces of gourd simmer in a thin tamarind broth balanced with a little jaggery, chilli and onion, thickened only lightly with rice flour, and finished with a mustard and fenugreek tempering. Mix it into hot rice with a spoon of ghee or eat it with a crisp vada. The usual mistake is overcooking the gourd to mush; it should be tender and translucent but still in pieces. Chef's tip: taste a raw slice of the gourd before cooking, and throw it away if it is bitter, because bitter bottle gourd should not be eaten.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 pinch asafoetida (gluten-free hing)
- 1 onionsliced
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 1 ⅛ lb bottle gourd (sorakaya)peeled, cut into 2 cm cubes
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 oz tamarindsoaked in 500 ml hot water
- ⅔ oz jaggery
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp rice flourmixed with 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp cumin seeds and ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds; when they crackle, add 2 dried red chillies, 1 sprig curry leaves and 1 pinch asafoetida (gluten-free hing).
1 minStep 2: Add 1 onion and 2 green chillies and fry for 4 minutes until the onion is soft and pale gold.
4 minStep 3: Add 1 ⅛ lb bottle gourd (sorakaya), ¼ tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp red chilli powder, stir, cover and cook for 6 minutes until the gourd releases its juice.
6 minStep 5: Stir in the 1 tbsp rice flour mixture and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring, until the broth is lightly thickened and glossy. Scatter 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve with rice.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sorakaya pulusu take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of mustard seeds?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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