Bottle Gourd Peanut Fry

Anapakaya Veru Senaga Pappu Vepudu.

Bottle gourd / lauki is chopped up and boiled in sufficient water or steamed till soft but whole. Oil is seasoned with spices and bottle gourd is briefly cooked in freshly prepared peanuts and red chile powder. Serve bottle gourd peanut fry over plain steamed rice and dollop of ghee.
Makes: around 3 Servings of Bottle Gourd Peanut Fry.

Ingredients:

Bottle Gourd 2 Cups (Chopped)
Whole Red Chiles 1
Green Chiles 1 – 2
Raw Peanuts 3 Tbsps
Raw Cashews 2
Turmeric Powder a big Pinch
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tsp

Talimpu:

Raw Peanuts 1 Tbsp
Mustard Seeds 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1/2 tsp
Urad Dal 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida a pinch
Curry Leaves 5
Oil 1 tsp

Method of preparation:

Remove stems, wash and slice the green chiles.
Peel, remove ends and chop the bottle gourd.
Boil the bottle gourd in a cup of water till its tender while still holding its shape.
Just before removing the bottle gourd from heat, add sufficient salt and let it boil for another minute.
Strain the bottle gourd and keep aside.

Heat oil in a small pan, add peanuts and fry till they turn golden brown and crunchy.
Remove the peanuts onto a plate, add the red chile in the same pan and fry till crisp.
Grind fried peanuts, cashews, red chili and salt into powder using a spice grinder.

Heat oil in a pan, add all talimpu ingredients in order.
When mustard seeds start spluttering, add green chiles, boiled bottle gourd, ground peanuts powder, turmeric powder and salt.
Cook till most of the moisture is gone and bottle gourd pieces are soft and whole.
Serve bottle gourd peanut fry with steamed rice and dollop of ghee.
Notes: Make sure bottle gourd is cooked properly.

Suggestions: If the bottle gourd is not cooked properly, cook covered on low flame with a splash of water till done.
Variations: Add a splash of water and you can also cook the bottle gourd covered in the pan containing the talimpu ingredients.
Other Names: Bottle Gourd Peanut Fry, Sorakaya Pallila Vepudu, Anapakaya Veru Senaga Pappu Vepudu.