Sorakaya Pulusu | Anapakaya Pulusu | Bottle Gourd Stew

Sorakaya pulusu (bottle gourd stew) is a South Indian dish that is prepared by Telugu's. Pulusu or stew means mild flavored tamarind juice brewed with few spices. Sorakaya pulusu is soft and juicy, made from tamarind gravy and tastes yummy when served hot with steamed rice and dal.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Course: Main
Serves: 3-4
Main ingredient: Bottle gourd

1 bowl measurement: 250 ml
Flame used: Medium

 

Ingredients

Bottle gourd (lauki, sorakaya, anapakaya)
"Rich in fiber and low-calorie vegetable (14 calories per 100 grams)"

Peeled and chopped bottle gourd: 250 grams

Tamarind (Chintapandu) paste (step by step recipe): 2 tbsp

Or big lemon size tamarind soaked

Chopped onion: 1 medium size, green chilies: 3 or 4

For talimpu: 
Dry red chilly: 1, urad dal: 1/2 tbsp, fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tbsp, mustard seeds: 1/2 tbsp, cumin seeds: 1/2 tbsp, garlic pods: 2, curry leaves: Few

Oil: 2-3 tbsp

Ghee (Clarified butter): 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder: 1 tbsp

Salt: As per taste

Red chilly powder or kaaram: 1 tbsp

Jaggery (mashed): Small lemon sized or 1 tbsp

Water: 300 ml or 1 and 1/2 bowl

Procedure

Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp oil, saute (fry) spices one by one in low flame (prefer thick base kadai)
1 red chilly (endumirapa) and 1 or 2 garlic pod (optional)

Fenugreek seeds (menthulu): 1/4 tbsp

Cumin seeds (jeelakarra): 1/2 tbsp

Mustard seeds (aavalu): 1/2 tbsp

Urad dal (minapappu): 1/2 tbsp

add onions and green chilies

Add curry leaves and mix

Step 2: Add turmeric powder and mix well

Step 3: Add bottle gourd pieces

Step 4: Add little (50 ml) water, let it cook for 2-3 minutes

Step 5: Add salt (uppu), 1 tbsp red chilly powder (kaaram), soaked & filtered tamarind juice or 2 tbsp tamarind paste (Chintapandu gujju).
Jaggery (bellam) "optional"

Step 6: Add and mix 1 glass (250ml) water (just enough for the pieces should sink). Taste the stew and adjust any ingredient (tamarind paste, salt, red chilly powder) if required

Let it cook for 10-15 minutes till bottle gourd is cooked

Add 1 tbsp clarified butter (ghee) and turn off the flame when it comes to required thickness.
Put it in a serving bowl :)

Serve hot with steamed rice, plain dal and clarified butter or ghee (annamu, mudda pappu, neyyi)