Suraikai Karamani Kootu is a comforting South Indian stew that feels like home. Tender bottle gourd becomes silky and mild. Karamani adds nutty protein and gentle texture. Toasted coconut and spices create a fragrant, creamy sauce. A quick tempering of mustard, urad dal, and curry leaves brightens it. Perfect for weeknight meals and pairs well with rice or rotis.
Tender bottle gourd (suraikai) and soft karamani (black-eyed peas) are pressure-cooked together until perfectly mellow. A fragrant coconut paste—ground with roasted red chilies, urad dal, pepper, and cumin—gets stirred in and simmered to bring creamy, spicy depth. It’s finished with a classic mustard tempering with urad dal, asafoetida, onion, and curry leaves for a final burst of aroma—simple, hearty, and perfect with rice or chapati.
Suraikai Karamani Kootu Recipe
Suraikai Karamani Kootu
Suraikai Karamani Kootu is a comforting stew of pressure-cooked bottle gourd and karamani, simmered with a spicy coconut paste and finished with a mustard-onion curry leaf tadka.
6
servings10
minutes15
minutesIngredients
Suraikai (Bottle Gourd) – a small one
Karamani (Cowgram) – 3/4 cup
Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste
- To fry and grind:
Red chilli – 2
Urad dal – 1 teaspoon
Black Pepper – 1 teaspoon
Seeragam (cumin) – 1/2 teaspoon
Coconut gratings – 2 tablespoons
- For seasoning:
Oil – 2 teaspoons
Mustard – 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal – 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder – 1/4 teaspoon
Chopped onion – 1 tablespoon
Curry leaves- few
Directions
- Soak Karamani in water for 1 to 2 hours. Or fry the Karamani in a teaspoon of oil till nice aroma comes out.
- Remove the skin, inner white part and seeds from the bottle gourd. Cut it into small cubes.
- Put both the karamani and Suraikai pieces in a pressure cooker and add enough water to cover the karamani and vegetable and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
- In a kadai put a teaspoon of oil and fry red chilies, urad dal, black pepper and cumin. Before removing add coconut gratings and mix well and transfer it to a plate. Allow to cool and grind it to a paste.
- Open the cooker and keep it on the stove. Add the ground coconut paste. Mix well and allow to boil.
- In a tadka ladle put the oil and when it is hot add mustard. When it starts crackling, add urad dal, asafoetida, chopped onion and curry leaves.
- Fry for few seconds and add this seasoning to the Kootu and remove.