Bottle Gourd Curry

Complexity: 2/5

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle gourd (about 500g), peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
• Salt to taste
• Cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the curry leaves and onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, ginger, and garlic and cook until the tomatoes are mushy about 10 minutes.
• Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, and red chili powder and cook for 1 minute more.
• Add the bottle gourd and salt to taste and stir to combine.
• Cover the pan and cook on low heat until the bottle gourd is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or roti.

Tips:

• For a richer flavour, add a splash of coconut milk or cream to the curry in the last few minutes of cooking.
• If you don't have garam masala, you can substitute a mixture of ground cumin, coriander, and cardamom.
• You can also add other vegetables to this curry, such as potatoes, carrots, or green beans.