Sorekai Majjige Huli/ Bottle Gourd in Coconut Yogurt Curry

EVENT: SHHH COOKING SECRETLY

THEME: UDUPI CUISINE

My dish for the theme: SOREKAI MAJJIGE HULI/BOTTLE GOURD IN COCONUT YOGURT CURRY

A bit about the group:

Members of this group give their partners two secret ingredients according to the theme decided and prepare a dish. Once the dish is ready we add the photo only and other members try and guess the secret ingredients. Towards the end of the month the secret is revealed when we share the recipe link. This month’s theme UDUPI CUISINE was suggested by Jayashree who blogs at Evergreen Dishes. Visit her blog some awesome South Indian Dishes like Drumstick Rasam. Making Instant Neer Dosa is on my list.

My partner for this theme was Shobha who blogs at Shobha’s Food Mazaa. For some easy peasy and delicious recipes, you’ve got to check out her recipe videos. I gave Shobha rice and salt while she gave me bottle gourd and ginger. She has made a delicious Undi/Oondi/Pundi Gatti using those ingredients. I definitely can vouch that its a wonderful breakfast treat as I’ve made it before. As for me, I was happy with the ingredients given to me as that gave me the opportunity to try out a new recipe Sorekai Majjige Huli. I used this recipe as a guideline.

What is Majjige Huli?

Majjige Huli is a South Indian curry dish that is usually prepared using yogurt and coconut. Mainly water based vegetables are used. However, these days its common to find majjige huli made with ivy gourd, okra, potatoes, etc. Its usually prepared during festivals and for family functions. Majjige Huli from the Udupi Cuisine mostly uses Ash Gourd or Mangalore Cucumber. Since I didn’t have either, I replaced it with bottle gourd. This curry is usually served with rice, but it can also be served with idli.

South Indian Cuisine

I got to know a lot more about the South Indian Cuisine when I spent four years in Bangalore with my daughter. Before that, South Indian cuisine for me was limited to dosa, idli and medu vada. Slowing got introduced to a variety of sambhar, curries, roti, rice dishes, by my South Indian neighbors. I totally love the basic curry leaves, coconut, urad dal, chana dal flavors in any of the dishes.

South Indian Dishes I’ve prepared so far:

• Undi (Pundi Gatti, Oondi or Rice dumplings)
• Mysore Saaru/ Mysore Rasam
• Paal Kozhukattai
• Akki Roti
• Kalan
• Punugulu/Punukulu
• Kuzhu Paniyaram
• Andhra Style Palak Dal
• Rava Idli/ Instant Semolina Idli
• Idli Sambhar

Some Udupi dishes that you may want to try out:

Mangalore Cucumber Curry

Mangalore Buns/ Mangalore Puri

Poonam’s Hargreeva Maddi

Priya Vijaykrishnan’s Majjige Huli using ash gourd

Aruna’s Udupi Saaru/Tomato Rasam

Preethi’s Udupi Rasam Powder/Saaru Pudi

Ingredients Required for Sorekai Majjige Huli:

• Sorekai/Bottle Gourd – also known as doodhi/dudhi/lauki. This vegetable can easily be replaced by other vegetables but will not be called Sorekai as in Kannada it refers to bottle gourd.
• Fresh Coconut – grated
• Sour Yogurt – for that slight tanginess
• Turmeric Powder – some use it some don’t, I decided to add a bit of it
• Water
• Salt
• Chana Dal – split chickpea lentils, used as a thickener for the curry
• Green Chilies – according to your taste
• Fresh Ginger – paste or minced
• Cumin Seeds
• Fresh Coriander – need for the paste and garnishing
• Oil or Ghee – for tempering. I used ghee
• Curry leaves – need 1 sprig
• 1-2 whole dry red chillis – used for adding to the tempering
• Asafetida – Hing (for gluten free version omit or use gluten free one)
• Mustard Seeds – for tempering
• Fenugreek Seeds 

Dietary Tips:

• For Gluten free version please avoid adding asafetida or use a gluten free one.
• Healthy curry
• Vegetarian
• Satvik – as no onion or garlic is used

SOREKAI MAJJIGE HULI / BOTTLE GOURD IN COCONUT YOGURT CURRY

A mild but delicious curry with slight sweetness from the coconut, tanginess from the yogurt and flavours from the herbs and spices.

5 from 17 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine South Indian, Udupi

Servings 4 SERVINGS

Ingredients

  

FOR THE CURRY

• 350 g bottle gourd (lauki, doodhi)
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 cup yogurt sour
• 1 cup water
• ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds

FOR THE PASTE:

• ½ cup fresh coconut grated
• 2 tbsp chana dal (split chickpea lentils)
• 1-2 green chillis
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 inch fresh ginger peeled and chopped
• ¼ cup fresh coriander chopped

FOR THE TEMPERING:

• 1 tsp oil or ghee
• 1 sprig fresh curry leaves
• 1-2 whole dry red chillis
• ⅛ tsp asafetida (hing)
• ½ tsp mustard seeds (rai)

Instructions

 

PREPARATION OF THE PASTE:

• Wash and soak chana dal in about 2-3 tbsp of water for 20 -30 mins.
• Add the soaked dal along with the water into a food processor.
• Add the coconut, green chillis, ginger, cumin seeds and coriander.
• Process to a paste.
  
• Keep it on the side till required.

PREPARATION OF THE CURRY

• Peel the bottle gourd and cut into medium cubes.
• Add the cubes with ½ tsp salt, turmeric powder, fenugreek seeds and ½ cup water into a pressure cooker.
• Close the lid tightly and put the cooker over medium heat.
• Cook the bottle gourd for one whistle only. If you want the bottle gourd extra soft then cook it for 2 whistles.
• When the pressure cooker cools down a bit open the lid. Using a slotted spoon remove the bottle gourd from the water into another pan. Don't throw away the water.
  
• Add yogurt to the water in which the bottle gourd was cooked along with the remaining salt (½ tsp) and the remaining ½ cup water. Whisk it well.
• Put the pan with the bottle gourd over medium heat.
• Add the paste to the bottle gourd and stir it continously but gently till the smell of the raw chana dal disappears or for 2-3 minutes.
  
• Add the yogurt mixture to the bottle gourd mixture.
  
• Keep stirring till the majjige huli becomes hot. Make sure it does not begin to boil or else the yogurt will curdle.
• Once its hot, take the pan off the heat.

PREPARE THE TEMPERING:

• Heat oil or ghee in a small pan over low heat.
• Add mustard seeds and let them sizzle till they begin to pop.
• Add hing, curry leaves and red chillis.
• Mix for 10 seconds or till the curry leaves become crisp.
• Add the tempering to the majjige huli or the curry.
• Serve piping hot sorekai majjige huli with plain rice.
• TIPS:
• Its best to use yogurt that is a bit sour.
• Don't forget to keep stirring the curry once you add the yogurt mixture otheriwse it will curdle.
• Add water according to how thin or thick you want the curry.
• Adjust the spices according to your taste.

Keyword bottle gourd, coconut, curry, easy recipe, yogurt

Pin for Later:

A little request:

If you do try this recipe then please either

• add a comment below,
• send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
•  tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
• or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962