August 29, 2007

IT'S POURING GOURDS!! :D

Hope you all had wonderful Onam, Raksha Bandhan and Devi Pooja celebrations my friends! Enjoy..err..digest the festival food!:D
It's not raining but pouring Gourd dishes this week! Whoever said "Are we expecting the Gourd dishes here then?!" when you saw the 6 gourds jokingly last week, it's all YOUR fault. Blame yourself for encouraging me!! Hahaha!
I do LOVE cooking with fresh tender Gourds and all these dishes are my favorites. I am too happy to share with you. Choose what you like and enjoy while I get my spanking new eye sight!:D
A request: One of my Kannadiga reader, a mother-to-be, Jyoti V from Australia made Benne Biscuits I posted last week and loved them.She is asking if anyone know the recipes for B'lore bakery style Honey Cake and Kobbari(dry coconut)Biscuits(craving is a good word here!) Let's help her out and please let me know if any of you know these recipes.Thanks!:)

Bidding Adieu!!

Saying "Goodbye" to my oldest companion ie Myopia tomorrow!! I am going under the Lasik Wavefront surgery at 8am on the 30th,Thursday and will be in LALA land(sleeping ie!:D) for 24+hrs after that!:)



Thanks to all of you in advance for your comments and wishes from tomorrow,I will check on you later this weekend. I don't think it will be that painful because I saw women who had Lasik surgery the day before, sitting there next day for 24hr follow up reading magazines without any stress!! So I will take Thursday and Friday off ,then back to normal blogging.
This will not affect in any way with RCI K event,keep sending them to my e mail, so I can check on them ASAP.Some of you asked whether it's okay to send more than entry. YES,send as many dishes as you can with the photos because this is probably the ONLY chance to showcase Karnataka state's cuisine in blogosphere!:)

From babyhood to all grown up, my beloved Gourds!
I plant three seeds of Birdhouse gourd as they say here in US around May in a huge pot with good soil,carved with large holes in the bottom so the roots gets into the ground in time and then I will keep just one little sapling to grow.It climbs onto the deck later on and spreads luxuriously.Since it has stopped flowering,we pulled the gourd plant out and cleaned up the deck yesterday, no more Gourds for me!;p


Avial, with Bottle gourd,Green beans in spicy coconut gravy:
My own little contribution to Kerala Sadya feast for Onam! I always loved this simple but delicious dish, one of my favorite of all the Kerala delicacies!


How to make it:

1. Cook peeled, chopped 3 cups of Gourd, and 2 cups of chopped Green beans in 2 cups of water until soft.
2. Grind 1/4 cup fresh coconut, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 2-3 green chillies and 2 tsp raw rice(uncooked) to a fine paste with little water, not too much.Keep aside.
3. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan, add few curry leaves, 1/2 tsp Mustard (optional).Add cooked veggies,salt and boil. Lower the heat, add 1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream,and ground coconut and simmer for 5 mins until the you get a good aroma.
4. Serve with rice or chapatis or Dosas.YUM!



Sorekai Pachadi:
This cooked gourd raita is so tasty with flavorful spices and other vegs, it's good enough to eat on it's own or with any Roti and also very refreshing to have with plain cooked rice!

1. Microwave 1 cup peeled,chopped Gourd with water,drain and cool.
2. Finely cube 1/4 cup each of baby Carrots, red onion, cucumber, Zucchini,1 tomato, red and green sweet bell pepper,salt,1 finely chopped green chilli, 2 tbsp Cilantro, 1/2 tbsp mint leaves and mix.
3. Add 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/4 tsp each of Chaat masala,1/8 tsp of garam masala and cooked gourd pieces.Mix them all gently.
4. Chill for 1/2 an hour and serve.

Creamy Lauki Kofta Curry:
Koftas are Veg or Meat balls,fried and served with creamy gravy. I have made my own Kaddu(with Butternut squash) Kofta before. I tried Lauki/bottle gourd this time with gravy recipe based on a cookbook "Dadima Ki Rasoi" by Aruna Kirpal. It was delicious.Of course I had to make changes as I always do with Koftas since they can be little too watery to bind them to Koftas.

1. Fry 2 large onions until reddish,grind with 2 garlic,1" ginger, and 2-3 Plum tomatoes to make a smooth paste.
2. Heat the 2 tsp oil and 2 tsp butter in a pan, add the ground paste and fry until thick and oil shows on top. Stir in 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/4 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, salt and fry for a few more minutes. Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to the boil.
3. Add finely chopped 1 tbsp cilantro and 1/2 tbsp mint leaves. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the gravy thickens.
4. Turn down the heat to low and wait till it cools down a little. Beat 1/2 cup cream and pour in the gravy,stir gently until mixed.Simmer for 5 mins.
5. Tastes better the next day.Heat Koftas in the oven and add to gravy just before you serve along with drizzled cream on top either with rice or soft Naans.

To Make Lauki Koftas:

1. Mix 1 small Gourd (bottle gourd), peeled and chopped fine or 2 cups grated, salt,1/2 cup or more Potato flakes or mashed potatoes,enough to bind the Koftas in to balls, 1/4 cup besan (gram flour), 1 tbsp Cornstarch,1 tsp amchoor (dried raw mango) powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder,make tennis sized balls, deep fry until reddish.Drain and keep aside. (Baking doesn't work with Besan mixed Koftas but you can reheat the Koftas in the oven before serving to crisp them!)

Bottle Gourd Peel Chutney:
What do you do with all those peels when you clean up the Gourds? Make scrumptious chutney out of them!!:D Make sure gourd is young ,not mature. Peels must be soft without the stringy veins to make this chutney.Tastes wonderful with Dosas!


How to make it:

1. Collect all the tender peels, wash and cook them in the Microwave with little water for 5 mins,drain the water if there is too much or save for grinding chutney.
2. Add the peels to the blender along with 1/2 cup fresh coconut, 2 tbsp yellow roasted chutney gram(hurikadale),3 green chillies, salt, little lump of tamarind, 2tbsp yogurt,1 small garlic,1/2" ginger, 2 tbsp cilantro,few curry leaves with little water from cooked peels to a smooth thickish paste.
3. Heat 2 tsp oil, add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp Urad dal, 1 red chilly, few curry leaves until reddish,add to the chutney.

Sorekai Bele Saaru:
Gourd with red gram dal gravy! My favorite sambar with my ajji's saaru powder cooked with Tuar dal and gourd, so yummy I could eat this in a soup bowl with toasted slices of bread unlike my ajji!!:D

Cook 1 cup Tuar dal with 1 sliced Onion,2 cups of water until soft in a pressure cooker.Add 3 cups of tender gourd cubes and boil for 5-10 mins until they are just soft, not mashed.Add 1 tbsp saaru powder,cilantro,2 tsp tamarind juice,1 tomato chopped,1/8 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp ghee and salt.Simmer for 5 mins, add seasoning and serve with rice and papad.
Seasoning: Heat 2tsp oil, add 2 chopped garlic, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds,few curry leaves,1/2 chopped onion, 1 red chilly, pinch of Hing.
Saaru powder: Toast 1tbsp Coriander seeds,1/2 tbsp Channa dal, 1/2 tbsp Tuar dal, 2-3 red chillies dried, 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds,a pinch of hing(asafoedia), 1 tsp raw rice until reddish,cool and poeder.Use as much as you need in the Sambhar.

Lauki-Coconut Halwa:
Finally, a dessert!!:)) I made a similar halwa I posted at Aroma for an event last week. But this Halwa is made with finely cubed Gourd instead of grated, even tastier than that dish with the additional fragrant spices, Raisins and coconut!

Refer to that recipe to follow with the same steps but with finely cubed gourd instead of grated, add an additional 1/8 tsp Clove pd, 1/4 tsp sweet Cinnamon pd, 1/4 cup sweetened coconut or plain grated dried or fresh coconut,2 tbsp golden raisins to the dish before Microwaving and cook until soft and thickish. Serve warm or cold!!
Well.. I will see you all this weekend in your blogs. I am sure I will be alright by then and can see without glasses! (hopefully,fingers crossed!:P) Keep cooking those delicious dishes for RCI,I will check my e mail and spam folder too. Next week I will post part 1 of my own mom's and grandmothers'(read Lingayat=pure vegetarian!) K'taka dishes, my part 2 will have non-veg dishes. Have a great weekend!:))

155 comments:

archana said...

Its pouring gourds :) So many colourful recipes. I will have to re read them carefully :)each of them are looking delicious.
The gourds on the vine are looking so nice.
All the best for your surgery and take care. So its bye bye to those glasses :D ))

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the lasik surgery, Ash! The gourds look so good! And all those dishes from sorekai from your own garden! Looking forward to the Lingayat recipes.
Take care now and see you once you're back from la-la land! :)

Sharmi said...

all your recipes look lovely. I am great fan of koftas. very tempting pics.
Take care and wish you luck on the surgery.

Pragyan said...

Hi Asha, All the best for the lasik surgery. Take care and hope to see you soon. Yeah! I am the first one here..A Tuesday post from you is a lovely lovely surprise :) :) And you do have a encylopedia of gourd recipes..wonderful. See you soon.

Padma said...

Hey that was a Gourd's Panorama going on your blog, I have one more gourd recipe coming soon for JFI-rice, wondering how that looks like?

Loved all those gourdy recipes Asha, specially that spicy Avial and you know what I taste Lingayats recipes, as my neighbors in Bombay are Lingayats and wow they have some incredible vegan recipe collection...

Very much looking forward for ur recipes

indosungod said...

Asha Good Luck with the eye surgery and take care.

It sure rained Gourds in your garden. Love the peel chutney and the Lauki-Coconut Halwa. Unfortunately my neighbor's gourd plant did not bear any gourds or I would have gotten a few ;)

bha said...

Best of luck Asha and take care...

Your dishes are wonderful as always...the lauki peel chutney, looksn nice and the moment I saw those koftas I started drooling over them....but the cocnut lauki halwa is for me.....

Seena said...

Asha,
I am waiting to hear from you about the surgery experience.Me and SIL have planned to do it. All the recipes look really nice, the gourd peel chutney captures attention..Thanks for the wonderful recipes.

Suganya said...

Hi Asha....Take care......

Anonymous said...

All the best Asha for the surgery. I am sure everything will go on smooth.
Take few days off till you completely come to normal.

Thats a nice spread of gourd recipes. I loved the sorekai bele saru...I need to make it sometime...My to-do list is growing without bounds and I don't have time to cook everything :(

Mythreyee said...

Good luck Asha. So many colorful recipes you have posted. All the dishes are mouth watering. Asha, I got a job as Assistant for HR in a software company. Its a full time job. I might not have so much time for blogging but will definitely continue to be one.

FH said...

Archana, Vani, Sharmi, Pragyan and Padma, thank you girls!:)
I have got Anti- biotic lotion in my eyes today in prep for surgery, so can't stare at PC much, so I am replying in short bursts!:D

P, it's Wednesday already for us in US!

FH said...

Indo, Bha, Seena, Sukanya and Shilpa, thank you so much for your wishes and enjoy the recipes.

Seena, I plan to write all about the surgery later,many have asked and are waiting for details too!:)

marriedtoadesi.com said...

Asha, first wishing you a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. I feel like the blogosphere will fall apart without you!!

Also thanks for this sorrakai peel chutney. I love the concept of not wasting one bit of the vegetable. I will make that next time I use a bottlegourd.

Kanchana

Kribha said...

Dear Asha,
Good luck with your surgery. Hope you'd come back to normal soon. Wow...It's raining gourds. So many nice recipes. Liked the way you have used the peel too. Good work.

Richa said...

lovely gourd dishes! will definitely try my hand at them!
Good luck for the surgery!
u know what, i thot @ u the other day while reading a magazine, they had an article about painting the gourd that u've, to convert it into some art form!!!!! But i knew u wud be making lovely dishes out of it!!!!!
hv a good wknd!

Pooja V said...

Wow lip smacking recipes. I m sure evrything will b fine , u'll back soon wid more recipes v soon. Tk care.

FH said...

Kribha, Richa and Pooja, thank you! I hope I will recover soon, too many responsibilities with kids and all,can't afford to relax too many days:)

Richa, they dry the Gourds and make Bird houses too, perfect shape for that!:)

Latha Narasimhan said...

Asha, Did you cook rice or chapathi ? Or you ate only gourds!!:D too many my god!
So on the way to looking younger! I too better visit the parlour ASAP! :D !!
Take care dear!

Latha Narasimhan said...

BTW I will post kobberi biscuit for your friend soon! may be I'll mail the recipe.

archana said...

Best of luck for the surgery, come back soon with the glasses gone.
Tell me about a single post of yours where the recipes's are not pouring, you are a delight !

Pavani said...

Love your Lauki recipes especially the koftas.. They look delicious. All the recipes are slightly different from what we make at home, would love to try them out.
Good luck with your eye surgery and take care.

bee said...

i can't help ogling at those sexy gourds. good luck with your surgery. i will keep all my limbs crossed for you. we'll be away for a week. talk to you when we get back.

Laavanya said...

This is like JFI-Gourds in one post! :) This shall be my go to place when I come home with this veg. from the grocery. Lovely recipes Asha... everything looks so good i don't know where to begin.

Great news about your Lasik. All the very best and see you next week sans glasses.

TBC said...

Asha, wishing you the best. Good luck & take care.
Wow! So many gourds. Your avial almost looks like the one I made for our Onam sadya but I added a few other veggies.
The halwa looks delish:-)

Tee said...

Good luck with the surgery, Asha! I will have something waiting for you at my blog when you return :)
You have an entire recipe book of gourd recipes!! :)
take Care and see you soon!

Mishmash ! said...

Hey Take good care....:) admire your spirits :) Not writing anything more this time , so as not to strain ur eyes :P

Shn

musical said...

Dear Akka,

Wish you the very best for the LASIK. Take care and get enough rest after surgery. Looking forward to my Akka's lovely recipes and stories after that :)

Lovely bottlegourd recipes.each one of them, be it the koftas or the Aviyal, are yummy! i make the peel chutney too, will try your recipe with coconut.

Sreelu said...

Asha first and foremost have a safe surgery, we all will be praying for your quick return to blogworld.
Now I am out of words on your entires,this is beautiful kofta's,avial yummo.
I did not know that we could make pachadi out of peel.

See you very soon Asha ,take lots of care

Saju said...

what great presentation! All the dishes looking tempting.
Good luck for your op, you can sing Jonny Nash's I can see clearly now!!
Take care now.
I know you have already been to my blog and seen your award!

sra said...

Asha, best of luck for your surgery. Take care. Your blog looks different with all the green in it today.

ChrisB said...

Good luck with the lasik surgery. You have cooked up some more lovely looking dishes here. What a wonderful harvest of gourds you had this year :)

Arts said...

A full vegetarian spread.. and that will be continuing next week too... yaaaayyyyy!! :)

All dishes look yummy.. the dishes inspire me to but bottle gourds more often now :)

Good luck with your surgery! take care...

FH said...

Thank you Latha, Archana, Pavani, Bee(Sexy G's, Hahaha!) and Laavanya, I will be seeing you all next week.

Latha, I was half blind when I was 17yrs old!! Waited a long time for Lasik! HeHe!

FH said...

Tbc, Tee, Shn, Surili Musical, and Sreelu, thanks.I will see you all next week, hopefully happy and without glasses!

I will check all the RCI entries next week too:):))

FH said...

Saju, sra, Chris b, and arts,thanks girls.I will see you next week!:)

LOL Saju, thank you. I hope I will be singing happily!:))

Ashwini said...

Go for it girl...will check on the weekend to see how you are doing

Anonymous said...

Hey Asha, good and delicious use of puring sorekai..so colourful.
I have the recipe of 'sasive kayi' it tastes good with bottle gourd try it, if you are not yet tired of eating them.......:)

FH said...

Ashwini,Thanks girl. Hopefuly,I will be little better in the weekend:)

Madhu,I have two more Sorekai left,will make Sasive too,not tired at all:)

Manasi said...

First off, ALL THE BEST for ur lasik procedure. DON'T WORRY AT ALL. I have gone thru lasik 5+ yrs ago in India and it is painless, bloodless procedure!! u won't feel a thing! u will be all set in under an hour!!!

Now for the lauki shower!! my god, when it rains, it pours laukis in ur garden!! Koftas look so good! I wish we stayed close to each other, I'd Live in ur kitchen!!!
Hugs to u!! Take care!!

Rajitha said...

lauki kofte..mmmm my mouth is watering.
wish u luck on the surgery and when you are sleeping.... hope you dream of more laukis to come ( just kidding ;)

swapna susarla said...

Hi Ashaji
Hope u will be better soon!!!!

The gourd dishes are looking so beautifull!!!The kofta is new to me.wonderful pictures!

Sia said...

good luck ashakka. come bk soon from ur lala land:) will miss u for sure. will come bk n chk FH and aroma later.

FH said...

Manasi,thanks for your support,I hope it will be over soon:)
Rajitha, more Gourds in my dreams too? Hahaha!
Thanks Swapna, have a great time in India:)
Sia, thanks sweetie. Take it easy,you seem to be working too hard these days at work.Hugs:)

Chef Jeena said...

Hey Asha lovely recipes :) I'm sure you will feel just great after your surgery, it comes and goes so fast that you won't beleive its all done so quickly! I hope you enjoy putting your feet up afterwards :D Look forward to your recipes soon. :)

starry said...

The gourds look so nice on the vine and the recipes and dishes are mouth watering. I am tempted to make thae halwa. Take care and all the best on your surgery.

Neelam said...

Asha, All the Best for your Surgery and Take Care!
I like the koftas recipe and the peel's chutney, thats a nice idea!

Namratha said...

Aww Asha, its more than just pouring Gourds..hehe I personally am not a Gourd fan but trust me, after looking at your recipes I'm sure well gonna try them! Good luck with the Lasik dear, it's a good choice..hope to see you back soon.

Roopa (KitchenAromas) said...

Good luck with the surgery A! And what wonderful creations with the gourds..thank you!

TheCooker said...

Best wishes for your surgery!

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Dear Asha, Good luck. Enjoy being spec free. Get plenty of rest and we'll see you when you're ready.
Take care of yourself. xx

FH said...

Jeena, I am looking forward some stress free sleepy time actually!:)

Lalitha, try the Halwa,takes few mins in the MW!Thanks,see you later:)

Thanks Neelam. Enjoy the recipes:)

FH said...

Namratha, Roopa, The Cooker and Amanda, thank you dear girls!:)

Amanda,yeah.I think I will take my time recovering, eyes are important more than any other body part!;D

Anonymous said...

Good luck. You will be allright after the surgery.. I had done it for myself..i didnt even realise how soon it was over.

Wish you all the best.. and take care.

Jyoti

Anonymous said...

Asha ji all the best for the surgery i heared it's an easy surgery so no worries. Nice recipes all with gourd.

Anu said...

Dear Asha!!Good luck with the Lasik Surgery!

A Big WOW to all the pics & recipes!!!Looks YUMM!!!

take care & hugs!
Anu

Menu Today said...

Hi Asha,
Good luck!!! Take care of your health.
All the gourds recipe looks superb!!I liked the saaru recipe very much.
Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

I will definitely try that dessert made out of gourd :-)

Good luck for your surgery tomorrow.

Hugs

Prema Sundar said...

wish u good luck for ur surgery and Iam sure everything will be fine.. take care..
It has really poured gourds.. look at the colour of the chutney there.. lovely green...
I have made lauki halwa before , but not with coconut...
Ur presentations are always neat and admirable Asha.

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the eye surgery. Our thoughts are with you.

Keshi said...

ALL THE BEST ASHA I WILL BE THIKNKING OF YA! TC n HUGGGGGGGGGGZ!


Keshi.

Roopa said...

good luck Asha! you will be all well and more blogging to come :) last week my friends just told me she finished her lasik and its really a very good feeling for her and will be sma efor you too ! gourds are looking so good and delicious dishes!

Suganya said...

All the best for yr surgery, Asha. You take good care of yourself. Hugs and prayers to you!

Prajusha said...

Asha,
best of luck for the surgery.
Lauki recipes looks delicious and i liked the lovely chutney pic .
Take care and see u soon.

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha dear, your bottle gourd extravaganza is a sight to behold, and am happy to hear you'll be "beholding" it even clearer for yourself soon. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow as I'm sure we all will, and wishing you the best of luck for speedy recovery! Nevermind your promises of 2-3 days but come back when you are able.

To keep myself occupied waiting, think I'll have to begin with the kofta curry... ;)

Meantime sending lots of good wishes and hugs from Mass. and Michigan, too!

Anu said...

Hi Asha,

ALL THE BEST! for the surgery and do post the details..What a yummy looking spread..I hope i will be able to make atleast some of them..Too good..

Srivalli said...

All the best for your surgery!. Get back soon, we will miss...

All your dishes are really mouthwatering...your presentation is excellent...

Is that Lauki-Coconut Halwa coming for my party?...if so, I will take it myself..:)..

Viji said...

Take care Asha. Get well soon. You did notwaste anything from Gourds. Very nice recipes. Lovely photos too. Viji

Anonymous said...

Your recipes are so yummy and colorful asusual. Get well soon and take care.

Pragyan said...

Oops, I confused yesterday to be Tuesday..so much work makes me forget the day of the week :( Take care.

Lisa Johnson said...

Best of luck with your Lasik surgery! You are probably having it right now as I type or just finishing up. Take care and rest up! And I love your gourd collage! So beautiful!

Bong Mom said...

All the best for the surgery Asha, take care

sunita said...

All the dishes look wonderful, as always...I'll pick the kofta curry please...

See you when you're back from la-la land:)

Mampi said...

Asha, you have me grounded, with all this, and amazing that I did not have time to read it yet. But ur blog goes to my favorites.
I am one candidate for Lasik too, but someone discouraged me from it. Been with spectacles for about 20 yrs now. How long did ur dosti with spectacles last?

KRISHNA said...

Asha,
I hope surgery went well. Chennagi rest tegolli(I know you already are feeling to jump to kitchen and cook for us!!!),
Sorekai habba nadeyutideya alli ?
Ella dishes tumba ne chennagi kanutide.

Take care and Hugs :))

saakshi said...

Hi Asha, GOod luck girl with your surgery. And again, your recipes are rocking. Hey I already have Bisibelebath in my blog. Can I send it in for the karnataka cuisine entry? This is the first time i will be entering any event, so can you please walk me thru?

Mahek said...

BEST OF LUCK FOR YOUR SURGERY
HOPE TO SEE YOU BACK ON BLOG SOON
ASHA , HOW IS THE BOOK DAUGHTERS OF HEAVEN HAVE YOU READ IT?

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,

I have visited your blog many times. But this is the first time I m writing a comment. Your blog is excellent. I m from bangalore.
I have a question about your Lasik surgery. Even my hubby wants to undergo this surgery as he hates wearing glasses n he cant wear sunglasses. Can you pls let me know how much did it cost you? Thanks in advance

Sig said...

Hi Asha,
Guess you are sleeping happily by now... Hope everything went well with the surgery today... Been so busy lately, my parents are leaving on tuesday, thought I'll take a break from blogging and bloghopping till they leave...but had to come here and check on you when I missed your comment today :)... thats when I realized today is the day... Get well soon..... Hugs.

Cynthia said...

Hi Darling, hope the surgey went well. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Can't wait to have you back and know that everything's fine.

Hugs.

Keshi said...

was thinking of ya at Prayers last nite...hope all is well with ya Asha.

TC n HUGGGGGGGGGZ!
Keshi.

Srivalli said...

Asha..hope everything went well...missed you at my post the last two days...without you they look so dull really....come back soon...you will have lot to catch up!

sallywrites said...

I have never had gourds!!

Good luck with the surgery. I do hope that you recover quickly!! How brilliant for you!!

Raaga said...

Don't know if I commented or not... lovely recipes and you take care, OK?

Lotus Reads said...

Sweetest Asha

May all go well with your Lasik Surgery....so glad you're having it done. Do rest your eyes, things are going to be so different (and convenient) when you heal.

Thank you for this post, it couldn't have come at a better time. Only yesterday my friend gave me a whole lot of gourds from her garden. At first, I was stumped because I didn't know what to do with them, now I do! :)

Have a marvellous weekend, Asha, I am going to be in Buffalo!

Rachna said...

dear asha, hope you are doing good now, and resting your eyes... take care i'm praying for you...

love the peel chutney

mommyof2 said...

I hope everything went well.

Loved the dishes. I make exactly same Kofte but last time I added half pack of gulab jamun gits pack instead of besan and it was really good. try it:-) and kaddu raita is my favourite:-)

Beccy said...

Asha, I hope the eye surgery was a sucess and that you recover well, how nice to be able to give up the glasses.

Kalpana said...

What is Lasik surgery? Is it laser surgery to eyes? Good Luck and take care. I love koftas. Hope, I'll do it 1 day.

Pdk said...

Hi asha ji... hope your surgery went well and u are happily in the lala land... btw, u recipe for gourds saaru is new to me and sounds interesting...
take care and see u after u get enough rest , asha...

sra said...

Hi Asha, how did the surgery go and how are you doing?

indosungod said...

Asha how did it go? Hope the kiddies and husband are pampering and taking good care of you :)

TBC said...

Hey Asha, Hope you are doing well after the surgery. We miss you & your sweet comments.Take rest and come back only when you can.
Hugs:-)

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,

How are you doing?Have u recovered from your lasik surgery? Sorry I have started a new job & have been busy.I did enjoy your excellent food preparations as usual.The gourds alacarte,benne biscuit & the wonderful karnataka spread is yummy as ever.I am amazed by your energy to present a wonderful feast every time.Take Care.
Love & Regards,
Kate.

Kajal said...

I looks gorgeous with this speck my dear. Coconut Gravy in gourd with Beans nice idea. Raita is also taste....But I like your Creamy Lauki Kofta......No words for this dish. And this is new creative idea Bottle gourd Chutney? Wow it is looks very nice with your temparing. I made Bottle Gourd halwa today so try your style…Thanks for sharing.:)

Bharathy said...

Miss you soo much Asha!!..
Hope every thing went well and pls take good care of yourself..Blogging comes next..
GET WELL SOON...!!

SMN said...

Hey Asha,

Hey home grown bottle gourd even i put the same entry..nice one.. tnx for sharing..

Viji said...

Asha, just thinking about you. Hope everything went on well. Get well soon. Viji

bha said...

hope u are fine, please make an appearance somewhere

SeeC said...

Hope you are doing good.

Gorgeous gourds...garden growns are lovely. I wish I had some.
Love all your recipes asha.

Take care

Anonymous said...

hope the surgery went well Ashaji :-) take care

Suma Gandlur said...

I didn't get time to do much blog hopping. Came here today. I think everything turned out well with your surgery and now you are doing good. If you need to take rest, please do. If you need help for RCI, pl let me know. All the best to you.
Halwa with a twist. Grating is lot more work, right?
I am also dying to know the recipes you mentioned and for Dharwada peda and dil pasand. Infact I wanted to know whether you knew about Dharwada peda.

deepsat said...

All the best for the lasik surgery Asha!!

Come back soon!!

;-))

ServesYouRight said...

Best of luck - hope you're getting plenty of TLC! Lots and lots of good wishes and happy thoughts for you.

Smita

Cyberkitty said...

Wish you all the best for your eye surgery. I had a wonderful raksha bandhan.

Kribha said...

Hi Asha,
How are you feeling after the surgery. Hope you are doing good. Take care.

amna said...

goodluck asha!

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,
Hope the surgery went well. Get plenty of rest. Take care.

Mamatha

FH said...

Jyoti,Ramya, MT , Anu and nz ,thanks.Still recovering, will be blogging soon I hope!:)

FH said...

Prema,Pearl, Keshi,Roopa and Suganya, thanks girls!:)

FH said...

Prajusha, Linda, Anu, Sri and Viji, thank you!:)

Linda, recovery taking longer than I expected! Will be back asap.

FH said...

Pria, Pragyan, Anali, Sandeepa and Sunita, thanks for your wishes!:)

FH said...

Manpreet,I highly recommend Lasik,choose a reputable doctor.I have been wearing specs for 25yrs!
Thanks Mamatha:)
Saakshi,you can send BBB,please do:)
Thanks Mahek!)
Bimba, my eye sight was poor,so it cost me $4000, but if you have less than -7 power,it costs you anywhere from $1600 to max $2000!

FH said...

Sig, Cynthia, Kesh, Sri and Sally, thanks girls!;)

FH said...

Raaga, Lotus, Rachna, MO2, Baeccy and Kalpana, thank you.

Kalpana,Lasik surgery is for people who wear glasses with Myopia to correct the vision,so they don't have to wear specs anymore.

FH said...

Priya, Sra, Indo, Tbc and Kate,thanks:)

Indo, kids were in school and hubby dropped me off home and had to go back to work! :D

Kate,congratulations on your new job, missed you too:)

FH said...

Kajal, Bharathy, smn, Viji and Bha, I appreciate it! :)

FH said...

Seec, abha, Suma, Deepsat and Smita, thank you. I am resting my eyes until the post op appointment is over:)

FH said...

Cyberkitty, Kribha, Nags, Mamatha, thanks. I am healing, takes about 7-10 days, everyday my vision is changing. Today I thought I will check my blog after 5 days.Eyes are getting tiring,will be off PC now!:))

Suma, I went to High school in Hubli,so I do know Dharwad Peda. Will be blog hopping after my post op appointment with the doc, until then can't spend too much time on focusing on one thing!:)

Reeta Skeeter said...

Hey! Hope all has gone well...Your raining bottle gourds look good. I have to say that the only things I like of them are the sabji( that ma makes),the raita (yummm) and the koftas! But seem to hv taken good advantage of the rain :P. That is what creativity is all about!

swapna susarla said...

Hi ashaji
How are u after the surgery??is everything fine?

Prajusha said...

hi asha,
hope everything went well..
u better take rest and hope to c u next week with new recipes and lasik story:)

Padma said...

Dear Asha, hope everything is well and you are feeling good after the Lasik surgery...

FH said...

Reeta, Prajusha, Swapna, and Padma, thanks.I am doing better,still need time to heal the cut Corneal flap but feeling lot better now!:))

Unknown said...

Hi asha:) How r u? Hope your operation went well and you are felling all happy and fine:) Take Care!

MR said...

wow!!
u have come up with so many recipes for gourds too good.
In my garden it is right raining tomatoes...and running short of recipes ;)

Seena said...

Asha,
Hope everything is well with you..

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,

Wish you a speedy recovery!!

cheers!!
sowmya

RML said...

Hello Asha,
OMG soooooo many yummy dishes with bottle gourd.Nice recipes and wonderful pics.
How did your surgery go?
Very happy for u that u are getting rid of your glasses.Want to know more about Lasik.Hope u would post your experiences about Lasik.
Take rest for a couple of weeks and then start blogging..We all will be waiting for u.
Best of Luck!
Madhuri

FH said...

RV, MalluR, seena, Sowmya and rml, thanks girls,I am doing better everyday,healing well.I appreciate your support!Wednesday post will be put tomorrow as usual!:D

RML, I will make a full post at Aroma next week about Lasik,so it will help others to make decision.

Pravs said...

How did the surgery go Asha ? trust you are doing well...take care.

Sheela said...

ashaji, I am amazed at your energy in presenting so many wonderful recipes!
And look at those gourds! Wow! I love avial and sorekkai pachadi!

And, good to know you have recovered well from your LASIK surgery by now! Yay! No more glasses:-)

FH said...

Hi Pravs, I am doing better girl, thanks!:)

Hi Sheela, enjoy the recipes. I got about 16 Gourds this year unlike last year(just two!):D
LASIK is so cool, really helpful for long time sufferers like me, it's a such relief!:)

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,
Good to see you back hope you are doing well.

SJ said...

Hi Asha, sorry, haven't been blog surfing much lately, so my wishes are co ing in rather late - hope your surgery went well and you enjoyed the forced rest. Take care - hugs!

Linda said...

Was happy to see you at OOTG this morning, Asha -- still you behave, listen to lots of music and rest those eyes! Meantime I am busy with Karnataka research ;)

If you need help with RCI please holler and be glad to do what I can :)

Mallika said...

Lots of hugs for a speedy recovery and new lease of life. You know, I've tried and failed to leave a message earlier because your blog keeps crashing my machine. Is there some techy prob?

Anonymous said...

hey how are you?hope you are doing well and see u soon on the blog :) take care

FH said...

Madhu, sj, Linda, Mallika and Madhuli, thank you.
I am doing well, little hard to focus on nearer objects but getting better everyday.
RCI is going well so far,I will surely ask for help if needed, thank you for offering Linda!:))

sallywrites said...

Hi Asha!

Just wondered how you are now. Hope that glasses will be a thing fo the past forever!

Sally

FH said...

Hi Sally. YUP! Donated the glasses to charity since I can see far very clear and bright but nearer objects like reading is little blurry, might have to use reading glasses until Cornea heals completely:)

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Hi Asha, Hope you're recovering okay. Take care, Amanda x

FH said...

I am doing well Amanda, thanks. Just got though 6 days after the op!:))

saakshi said...

Hey, Thanks a lot Asha. I am compiling a few more karnataka recipes, so thought would post them all together. But go ahead and take my BBB and i'll post the rest in a day or two. Thanks again and enjoy.

FH said...

Oh okay, I thought you didn't get my comment somehow and I took it myself!:)
Looking forward to more, take your time, no problem.

Dalicia said...

hi asha,

i hope you'll recover soon from the lasik :)

FH said...

Hello Delicia, I am healing very well, didn't have much problem with anything. Thank you!:))

RML said...

Hello Asha,
Lovely recipes and wonderful pics with bottle gourd.I have to tell u something my mom though born in Andhra grew up in Dharwar(Karnataka).When I saw your recipes today u reminded me of my ammamma's and mom's cooking.
Thanks for sharing.
And thanks a lot for posting about Lasik and your experience
Madhoo

FH said...

Hi Madhoo, good to know that your mom is a Karnatakite too!Yeah, all these bring lot of memories too. Enjoy and show it to your mom if possible.I bet she knows lot of Dharwad recipes too:))

Divya and Chaya said...

hi asha,
love ur new template. long time we stopped blogging as v were busy with school. just come back...thanks 4 u'r support and plz visit us and give ur imputs!!

FH said...

Hi Dee, good to see you back!:))
I will see you later.

Amrutha Ragavan said...

Hi Asha!
You made my day today with your Bottle Gourd recipe. Thanks!! Fantastic blog you have here.
Regards!

FH said...

Enjoy Amrutha. Last year I had too many Gourds at the same time from my backyard veggie patch, so made a whole post!:D

Palvi said...

Really, i have enjoyed your bottle gourd section.... its simply great.... a heart felt Thanks with lots of wishes with prayers. these recipes are going to help me a lot.. May God bless u .........

FH said...

Thank you Palvi, Always makes me happy that somebody will benefit from these dishes and help out. Enjoy the recipes! :))