Recipe Info

Servings: 4 Total Time: 40 mins

Category: Main Course Prep Time: 15 mins
Cuisine: Indian Cook Time: 25 mins
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 115 Carbohydrates: 18g
Fat: 5g Protein: 4g

Ingredients For Sorakkai Sambar or Bottle Gourd Sambar

Recipe
 1/2 Cup Arhar Dal or Toor Dal (split Pigeon Peas)
 1 Bottle Gourd (Sorakkai or Lauki)
 1 Medium Sized Onion
 2 Tomatoes
 1-2 Green Chillies
 8-10 Curry Leaves (Kari Patta)
 2-3 Whole Dried Red Chillies (Sabut Lal Mirch)
 2 Tablespoon Tamarind Pulp (Imli Paste)
 1 Teaspoon Rai (Black Mustard Seeds)
 1/2 Teaspoon Urad Dal (split & skinned Black Gram)
 1/8th Teaspoon Heeng (Asafoetida)
 2.5 Teaspoons Sambar Masala
 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
 1 Teaspoon Salt, or to taste
 4-5 Sprigs of Coriander Leaves (Dhania Patta)
 1 Tablespoon Oil

Step By Step Instructions With Photos for Sorakkai

Sambar or Bottle Gourd Sambar Recipe
 Wash and put 1/2 Cup of Arhar Dal (Toor Dal or Pigeon Peas) in a pressure
cooker.
 Peel the Bottle Gourd (Lauki or Sorakkai). Chop it into 1 inch sized pieces and
add to the cooker.
 Add Turmeric Powder (Haldi) and Salt to the Lauki & Dal.
 Now add 3 cups of water to the cooker and close the lid.
 Cook the mixture till you get 2 whistles. Then let the steam come out on its own
before opening the cooker.
 You can start preparing the tempering while the Dal is cooking. Heat oil in a pan
and add Rai (Black Mustard Seeds) and Urad Dal (split & skinned Black Gram)
to it. Also add Heeng (Asafoetida).
 When the Rai starts to splutter and the Urad Dal starts to brown slightly, add
chopped onions to the pan.
 Add Curry Leaves and finely chopped green chillies to the pan.
 Also add whole dried Red Chillies (Sabut Lal Mirch) and cook for a minute.
 Add finely chopped tomatoes to the pan. Cook till they becomes soft.
 Now add Red Chilli Powder and Sambar Powder to the pan. Mix well and cook
till the mixture starts to leave oil on the sides.
 Add Tamarind (Imli) paste to the gravy. To make Tamarind paste, you can soak
1 tablespoon tightly packed Tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for a few
minutes.
 Mix and cook the gravy for a few minutes.
 Add the boiled Arhar Dal and Lauki (Sorakkai / Bottle Gourd) mixture to the
gravy. Stir and add some water to adjust the consistency if required. Boil for a
few minutes.
 Sorakkai Sambar is ready. Serve it hot with plain steamed rice, Idli, Dosa,
Uttapam or Vadas.