Lauki (Bottle Gourd) ka raita

Raita is one of the main side dish . The bottle gourd raita is not very famous, but it's a perfect combination that goes very well with any stuffed parathe. Lets explore a simple receipe to make this delicious raita.

Arrange the following ingredients before starting the actual preparation: 

Ingredients:

• Bottle gourd -1/2
• Curd - 2 cups
• Roasted cumin powder – ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder – a pinch
• Sugar – ½ tsp
• Salt (according to your taste)
• Cooking oil – 1 tbsp 

Ø  For tadka:

• Black mustard (rai) – ½ tsp
• Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
• Red chilli - 2
• Green chilli - 1
• Ginger (finely chop) – ½ tsp
• Fresh Curry leaves – 7-8
• Asafetida (hing) – a pinch
• Oil – 1 ½ tbsp 

Procedure :

1.     First scrub the outer skin of bottle gourd.

2.     Then wash it and grate finely.

3.     Now, squeeze out the juice* and keep the grated bottle gourd in a vessel.

4.     Take a non-stick pan and heat it on medium flame (temperature).

5.     Now pour oil into the pan and heat it on low flame.

6.     Put grated bottle gourd into the pan and keep stirring for 5 mins.

7.     Then add turmeric powder to it and stir properly. If  the grated bottle gourd gets dry, then sprinkle bottle gourd juice into the pan.

8.     On the other side, take a glass bowl and pour curd in it.

9.     Add sugar and salt to the curd in the bowl.

10.    Now take a frying pan and heat it on medium flame.

11.   Put jeera in the pan and roast it.

12.   When the jeera gets roasted , cool it and grind it.

13.   Now add jeera to the curd, mix well and keep aside.

Ø For tadka :

 

1.     Take a non-stick pan and heat it on medium flame.

2.     Pour oil in the pan and heat it.

3.     Put black mustard in the heated pan.

4.     When it starts sprinkle, put cumin seeds and curry leaves in it.

5.     Now add red chilli, green chilli and ginger in it and fry it.

6.     Then add a pinch of asafetida in it.

7.     Fry it for 5 minutes and cool it.

8.     Mix the grated bottle gourd and tadka to the curd.

9.     Mix well and chill it.

10.   Serve the raita chilled. 

*Juice : Keep the juice in a bowl. It can be used while frying grated bottle gourd. If it gets dry, then sprinkle the juice over the dry grated bottle gourd.

 

Besan ki Kadhi-Bari

Kadhi bari is one of the main Bihari cuisine. The fried soft dumplings made of besan (gram flour) are cooked in a spicy gravy of yoghurt (curd) and besan. It goes well with plain rice and salads of tomato and onion, and pickles.

Arrange the following ingredients before starting the actual preparation:

Ingredients -

For Kadhi :

•  4 tsp besan  
• 500 gm yoghurt (curd)
• 1 ½ cup of water

 For Tadka:

•   ½ tsp rai (Black Mustard)
• 7-8 fresh curry leaves
• 3-4 red chilli
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1tsp garlic paste
•   Salt (according to your taste)
• 1 tbsp cooking oil

 For pakoda :

• 150 gm besan
• 1 tsp of turmeric powder
• Salt
• A pinch of baking soda
• Water (to make batter)
• 300 ml of cooking oil

 Procedure : 

 For pakoda: 

1.  Take a glass bowl and put 150 gm of besan in it.
2.  Now add turmeric powder and a pinch of baking soda to the besan.
3.  Add salt according to your taste.
4.  Pour water in the bowl and mix well the mixture.
5. Keep bowl aside for half an hour.
6. After half an hour, take a thick bottomed frying pan.
7. Keep the pan on medium flame (temperature).
8. Pour oil in the pan and heat it for some time.
9. Put small portions of batter in the oil to make pakodas.
10. Take the pakodas out of the pan and keep in a plate.

 

 For tadka:

1. Take a deep bottomed non-stick pan and heat it on medium flame.
2. Pour oil in the pan and heat it.
3. Then put rai in the pan.
4. When the rai starts splitter, then put curry leaves and red chilli in the pan.
5. Now add garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt.
6.  Fry the mixture on low flame.

For kadhi:

1. Take a glass bowl and put besan in the bowl.
2. Add curd and water to the besan.
3.  Mix well the mixture of besan and curd.
4. Now, pour the mixture of besan and curd in the tadka.
5. Mix it properly and let the mixture boil for 5 minutes on low flame.
6.  When it gets boiled, then take out the mixture in a casserole.
7. At the time of serving, add pakodas to the kadhi.