Spicy Bottle Gourd Masala

Ingredients:

Bottle Gourd 2 Cups (Chopped)
Onion 1
Tomato 1
Tamarind 2 – 3 inch Piece
Green Chiles 2
Red Chili Powder 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder a Pinch
Coriander Seeds 1 tsp
Cloves 2
Cinnamon 1 inch Stick
Star Anise Small Piece
Salt to taste

Talimpu: 

Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal 1/4 tsp
Broken Dried Red Chiles 3 – 4
Asafoetida a Big Pinch
Curry Leaves 5
Oil 2 tsps

Method of preparation:

Soak tamarind in quarter cup of warm water and extract all the juice discarding the veins.
Peel, remove ends and chop the bottle gourd into small pieces.
Boil the bottle gourd in around a cup of water with few pinches of soft till its just soft and whole.
Once cooked, lightly mash the cooked bottle gourd.

Grind coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon and star anise into fine powder using a spice blender.
Peel and finely chop the onion.
Wash and finely chop the tomato.
Wash, remove stems and slice the green chiles.

Heat a tsp of oil in a pan, add all talimpu ingredients in order.
When mustard seeds start spluttering chopped onion and fry till its translucent.
Then stir in ground masala powder and green chiles.
Cook briefly, stir in boiled bottle gourd, tamarind extract, tomato, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt.
Add around quarter cup of water if the water left over from boiled bottle gourd is not enough.
Cook the bottle gourd and tomato for around 5 minutes till it absorbs all the flavors.
Serve spicy bottle gourd masala with roti or chapati or with steamed rice and dollop of ghee.

Notes: Make sure bottle gourd is cooked properly.

Suggestions: If the bottle gourd is very young and tender, skip the boiling step and cook the bottle gourd along with onion and tomato directly.
Other Names: Spicy Bottle Gourd Masala, Bottle Gourd Masala, Sorakaya Masala, Anapakaya Masala.