Anapakaya Pulusu / Bottle gourd in a sweet tangy tamarind gravy

Days are just flying by without me doing anything much...all I am doing is thinking and thinking and a whole lot of thinking! :)
Tho weather is getting better, I don't feel any enthusiasm in doing anything much. Even cooking...I wish it that it would get over fast so that I can be done with it!
I hope my mood would get better soon and I will feel happy yet again! :)
My only reason for being sane are my friends and my blog, well my kids too...

I made this anapakaya pulusu just recently. I feel pulusu is a heartwarming and feel happy dish, also very comforting. The sweet tangyness uplifts my mood surely.

It an easy to make dish and you can surely make it with different kinds of veggies like, eggplant, drumstick, sweet potato, okra etc.,., or you can combine all of them together too.
I think pulusu goes well with brown rice just like any type of dal. I think its a best combination.

Ingredients:

1 small anapakaya or 1/2 of a big one, peeled and cut into half rounds
1 onion, chopped
2 small tomatoes
4 green chillies

1 tsp methi seeds, menthulu, dry roasted and powdered
1/4 tsp urad daal
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp jeera
2-3 dry red chillies
few curry leaves

tamarind, little larger than a marble size, pulp squeezed
pinch of sugar (optional)
1 tsp red chilli powder (or less)
1/4 tsp turmeric
chopped coriander leaves for garnish
water, as required
1 tbsp of oil
salt as required


Method:

Dry Roast the methi seeds to brown and powder them when cooled.
Heat oil in a pot.
Add the urad daal, mustard seeds and jeera. Let them splutter.
Add the dry red chillies and curry leaves.
Add the onion and green chillies. Saute for about 5 min.
Add the tomato and let it cook until they become soft.
Add the anapakaya or bottle gourd pieces along with some salt.
Cook till the pieces become soft. Add little water if needed
Add the chilli powder and turmeric and cook for another couple of minutes.
Add the tamarind pulp juice. Add sugar if needed.
Cook for another 5 minutes and add the methi powder. The gravy should get thickened by the methi powder and tomatoes.
Remove when thickened from heat.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve with rice or roti!
Enjoy!!!