White Melon and Lobia Curry

One of another combo that I have tried and liked it.  DH got white melon I think he must have mistaken that as bottle gourd as it looked exactly like bottle gourd from outside and also inside (it was not the round shape one).  For some time I was confused whether it’s indeed bottle gourd but then it was not, white melon taste is little different from bottle gourd so in this recipe you can use bottle gourd too instead of white melon.  I made this on Sat’day and do it faster I used pressure cooker. I decided to use little of lobia that I had and soaked it to make something else but then it was meant for this curry I guess.  While white melon adds soft touch and lobia adds good crunch to the recipe and both together makes a good combination.  

Serves - 4

Ingredients:

White Melon Cubed –1 Cups

Lobia/Black Eyed Beans – 1/2 Cup

Oil – 2 tsp

Bay Leaf – 1

Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp

Ginger-Garlic Paste – 1 tsp

Tomato – 1

Red Chilli Powder – 1 tsp

Coriander Seeds Powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala Powder – 1/2 tsp

Dry Mango/Amchur Powder – 1/2 tsp

Kasoori Methi – 1 tsp [crushed]

Salt – to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak lobia with enough water for 4-5 hours or overnight, drain the water from soaked lobia and keep aside.  I normally soak all beans over night.

2. Wash, peel and chop white melon in to medium size cubes.  Chop tomato.

3. In a pressure cooker heat oil, add bay leaf and sauté for 30 seconds.  Add cumin seeds allow it to crack.

4. Add cubed melon, give a good stir.  Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté until raw smell goes away. 

5. Add lobia and stir well.  Add all spice powders and sauté for a minute, now goes chopped tomato, salt and cook for 2 more minutes. 

6. Add 1 cup water, kasoori methi, adjust salt if required and pressure cook for 2 whistles

~ If you are using Futura cooker then cook until cooker starts steaming, it will start steaming in 2-3 minutes. Let it simmer for 5 more minutes in slow flame.

This curry goes well with roti/paratha, or  rice.  Garnish with chopped cilantro if you wish.

Note:

~ You can add chopped onion, I just skipped it.

~ You can use bottle gourd or potato instead of melon.

~ You can cook the curry in pan, in that case pressure cook lobia and simmer until  white melons gets cooked.

Have a nice day ~~