Bottle Guard and moong dal kootu - A quick and easy kootu

            Today is day 7 of the blogging marathon .Today I am going to give the recipe for bottle guard with moong dal. In Tamil weddings, this kootu will be there. The menu includes,sambar,vatha kuzhambu,pappadam,poriyal,kootu,aviyal,vadai,payasam,oorugai,paruppu podi,sweet and goes on .But the recipe will be different from one place to another. I got this recipe from "Aval Vikatan " magazine.This kootu has all the spices,which enhances digestion.

 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27

 

 

 

Ingredients:

1.Bottle guard                 -            1
2.Moong dal                   -             1/2 cup
3.Turmeric pwdr             -             1/4 tsp
4.Salt                               -             as required
5.Oil                                -              a tbsp.
6.Mustard seeds              -              1/2 tsp
7.Red chillies                  -               2 to 3
8.Curry leaves                 -               a hand full
9.Cilantro                        -               a hand full

For roasting and grinding:
1.Urad dal                       -            2 tsp
2.Pepper corns                -             1 tsp
3.Cumin seeds                -              1 tsp
4.Hing                             -              a pinch
5.Curry leaves                 -               a spring
6.Coconut                        -               3 tbsp. (shredded)

Method :
* Wash and chop the bottle guard,after peeling its skin.Take a pressure cooker,add washed moong dal and bottle guard with turmeric pwdr.Add enough water to the pressure cooker.Pressure cook for 2 whistles,or until the dal is cooked well.Immediately release the pressure,if not moong dal will become sticky and mushy.
* Take a pan,dry roast urad dal,pepper corns,cumin seeds ,hing and curry leaves.Let the spices get good aroma.When the spices are golden brown,add the shredded coconut to the pan and roast the coconut slightly .Once the spices are cooled ,grind it in the mixie jar nicely , by adding little water .

* Turn on the stove and heat the bottle guard moong dal mixture. Now add the grinded masala to the bottle guard. Bring it to boil. Take another pan,add oil and splutter with mustard seeds,urad dal and red chillies.When the mustard seeds splutter,add it to the bottle guard mixture and mix it.

* Turn the flame to medium low and cook in dum.Adjust salt to the kootu .Add water according to the consistency we want.Garnish with cilantro.Serve with hot piping rice and kara kuzhambu.


Notes:
* We can also use onion and tomato to the kootu.Just sauté onion and tomato while tempering and add it to the kootu.
* We can also use chana dal instead of moong dal.
* We can alter the amount of spices according to our taste.