Bottle gourd Briyani

 

 Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 2 cups Bottle gourd - 1 cup (chopped) Onions - 1 no (medium, chopped) Tomatoes - 2 nos (medium, chopped) Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbs Curd - 1 cup Ghee - 2 tbs Oil - 2 tbs Green Chilies - 4 (slitted) Red chilly powder - 1 tsp    Coriander Leaves - 1 bunch (finely chopped) Mint leaves - 1/2 bunch (finely chopped) Salt to taste Pattai - 5  nos  Lavangam - 5nos  Cardamom -  5 nos Pepper - 4 nos Lemon juice  - 1 tsp Coconut milk - 1 cup Cashew - 8 nos (roasted) (optional) Method: Wash and Soak the rice in  2 cups of water and 1 cup of coconut milk half an hour before start. Make a coarse powder of  pattai, lavangam, cardamom, pepper. In a cooker put oil to heat and add the coarse powder , onion , green chillies ,  ginger garlic paste , tomatoes, mint and coriander leaves  and the  bottle gourd pieces. Add salt and Saute well  and mix with the  masala.  Add the curd and a tsp of red chilly powder. Cook till the oil leaves from the masala. And then add the rice with its water and close the lid  and allow for 3 whistles.  After the air releases , add the fried  cashews  lemon juice , ghee and some  mint and coriander leaves.  Mix well and close it  for another    5 minutes. (Not in flame) .  Serve with onion pachadi and  cucumber raitha.