Lauki Dho Peg Dhoodh Sa

What the heck !!! Does that even sound like a recipe / a dish.
For me it does!
I’m inspired /influenced by many things around me while I cook.
I’ve been to Angadi this Sunday.
Scorching sun – oil dripping over my face – dusty roads.
I could forget all these – as the fresh greens, reds and yellows were smiling at me.
I could ignore all that heat and irritating oil in my hair.
I bought a lot of vegetables then – all freshhhhh , fressshhhhh , freshhhhh.
Its then I took this nascent, baby looking lauki(sorakaaya/ aanyapkaaya/bottlegourd).
Monday mornings are always so sick and painful. To make it exciting I had to cook something exciting.
Its been loooooong since I’ve prepared “sorakkay paalu posina kura”. I’ve learned it from my cousin. She lived in Sreekakulam(interior Coastal ). Shez got influenced by those recipes. Its creamy, thick and very spicy curry.
I’ve started my preparation with that. But; halfway once I added this “southy tampering ingredients” to oil – I’ve changed my mind. As; it’d be a thick curry – I will be forced to prepare dal. Naah! Been too much of dal these days. And; moreover I’ve already made a dough to prepare rotis. So I’ve rather decided to make a watery and yet creamy/milky lauki.
Once I’ve added mustard, broken red chillies, jeera – I’ve decided to make it rather a watery/light-flavored dish. Hence; I’ve added a tea spoon more jeera. Preparation time was 10 and cooking time was 20. It was an experiment. Wow! What a way to start a week.
Let’s go to the name; why Peg & Dhoodh Sa.
I used a “Peg” as a measure to add milk to the curry. And; with these Star Plus serials (Marwari bhaay sa; maa sa; jaisan, waisan) glaring in the background – hence the name J . Well! In-a-way isn’t it exciting to name your experiment in a different way.
Will not dole more – lets get to cooking.
Oops! I’ve almost forgot. I didn’t have oil in the tumbler – so I’ve used 2 Tb Sp of ghee too cook around 400 gm of Lauki. Healthy is’nt it
Ingredients
1. Ghee – 2 Tb Sp
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ Tsp
3. Jeera – 2 Tsp
4. Dry Red Chillies – 2
5. Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 Tb Sp
6. Onion – 1 Medium – Finely Chopped
7. Lauki – 400 Gm
8. Salt – 2 Tsp
9. Red Chilly Powder – 1 Tsp
10. Coriander Powder – 1 Tsp
11. Coriander – Finely Chopped
12. Milk – 2 Pegs
13. Water – To Boil
Method:
· Place a pressure cooker on flame
· Add ghee.
· Once it melts and smells heaven – add jeera, mustard seeds & broken red chilies.
· When the lil rascals splutter – add chopped onions
· Let the onions turn pink and turn translucent – add turmeric powder & ginger garlic paste.
· Mix well – wait for 2 mins
· Add lauki cubes, salt, chilly powder.
· Add water to the cooker – drown the lauki cubes.
· Remember I wanted it water/soupy.
· Close the cooker – high flame – wait for 2 whistles.
· Let the cooker settle down – take out the cover – add 2 pegs of milk and coriander powder.
· Simmer for another 5 mins – till the required consistency is achieved.
· Garnish with freshly chopped coriander.
Serve hot with roti. Believe me! It was yum! Slightly creamy/saucy – jeera and mustard flavors, the fresh tender sweet flavor of lauki – it was heaven :-)