Kadoo in Sindhi is Lauki/Bottle Gourd.

When Pooja of My Creative Ideas announced the Vegetable of the Week - Bottle Gourd, I was so excited I love bottle Gourd but we do not get it in the city we live. When I managed to get it, I wanted to make so many things. One of the most common ways Sindhis cook it is the Ras Patta Kadoo, quick, simple and yumm. Have posted it before. So then I decided ok I will make the Kadoo Ja Kofta, Alka was quick and she posted it before I could, her is slightly different than the one we make so it would be good to post it.



Finally I landed up posting Jeera Kadoo recipe, after the recipe will let you know how and why. We make this either dry to accompany a dal, chawal and Phulka. Sometimes we make a little gravy and have along with puri or Phulka. This time I made a little gravy since there was no dal and made it in the pressure cooker. You can cook it on Dum adding very little water to get the dry version, it takes little longer but its worth the wait. Gravy or no Gravy you cannot have enough of it.



Ingredients
2 1/2 cups (625 gms) Kadoo, cut into 1 inch pieces.
1 tsp jeera
10 curry leaves
2 green chili, chopped
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp mango powder (amchur/ Khat in Sindhi)
salt to taste
fresh coriander leaves for garnish
1 tsp oil

Method (Cooker Version)

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pressure cooker. Add the jeera and let them splutter.
   
2. Add the curry leaves, green chili, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric and sugar. Cook for a minute taking care not to burn the masalas.
   
3. Add the Kadoo, mix well till they are coated with the masala.
   
4. Add 1/2 cup water, amchur and salt.
   
5. Give 2 whistles. Let the steam out naturally.
   
6. If there is less gravy add more water and give it a boil.
   
7. If there is more gravy, boil the gravy to reduce to desired consistency.
   
8. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with puri or Phulka.
   

Method (Dum Version)

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add the jeera and let them splutter.
   
2. Add the curry leaves, green chili, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric and sugar. Cook for a minute taking care not to burn the masalas.
   
3. Add the Kadoo, mix well till they are coated with the masala.
   
4. Add 1 tbsp water, amchur and salt. Mix
   
5. Lower the heat and cover the pan.
   
6. Cook on low, stirring regularly and adding 1 tbsp of water only if it sticks to the pan. Lauki releases a lot of water so you may not need to add more water. About 1/2 hour.
   
7. Once the Lauki is tender, add more water if you need a gravy or boil the extra water if any to get the desired consistency.
   
8. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with puri or Phulka.
   

Now for the how and why, I had seen so many Bharwan Lauki recipes and always wanted to try it. I ventured out on Google and most of them required Potato filling in a tomato based gravy. So I decided to give it a slight twist, I had spinach so I made a Spinach Filling, had to plan in action just went with what I felt will taste good. Once the Lauki was done and filled, it looked great I took some pictures, it was nice and sunny, it was around 6 PM in the evening. Ok now I was satisfied the the Lauki is stuffed with no disasters. So now for the gravy, Spinach in tomato gravy was not tempting so went made a nice creamy Kaju (Cashew) Gravy. By the time it was done and I went out to take the picture the Sun had what..vanished. We normally have sunlight till 9 PM and that day It had to set by 7 PM. I anyways took the picture, it was no so good but no choice. My hubby loved the Lauki it was rich and nice and loved the spinach and Cashew combo.

Now you all must be wondering why is she blabbering about Bharwan Lauki we are here for Jeera Kadoo, well it so happened that I had to leave and come to stay with mama and am with her from past 10 days, so I decided will make it once more and take a good picture. This weekend we bought Kadoo again and from Friday I have been telling her no I will cook the Kadoo please don't touch it. Sunday came and we had to cook food for my husband to take along with him and the lazy me had not touched the Kadoo. Now who feels like cooking when Mothers are around, not me. Anyways at 4 PM finally I had no choice I had to go into the kitchen and then decided to make another Sindhi recipe instead the Jeera Kadoo, which when made in the cooker is done within Half an Hour.

I sat down to actually post about Bharwan Lauki, and now I could not remember exactly what went into the gravy...Well thats sad should have written it out. That's why I am posting Jeera Kadoo instead till I re-create the Bharwan Lauki and this time try to remember what I did. Anyways here is the picture and the general way how I made it.

1. Slightly Boil the Kadoo. Scoop out the center to make a tunnel.
   
2. Spinach Filling: I sauteed some spinach with garlic, onion, scopped out kadoo and green chilies. Made it simple. Love the combination of garlic and spinach.
   
3. Stuff this filling into the lauki. Shallow fry it. Cooked completely by now. I covered it for a while. Slice the Lauki once cool enough to handle
   
4. Cashew Gravy: Soak Cashews in milk for some time.Grind soaked cashews, onion, ginger, garlic and green chili and full garam masalas like cardamom, cloves and black pepper corns to a paste. Heat oil in a pan and cook this masala till oil separates. Add milk and give it a boil. Add the lauki slowly, try not to mix. Cover and cook till the flavors are soaked in. Serve.
   

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